Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Muhammed Murdi Issa Zahrani

ISN: 713
Nationality: Saudi


The following is a summary of the allegations against Muhammed Zahrani found in publicly available US military documents. If US military documents about this prisoner are inaccurate or misleading then this summary will be as well. The introduction to this set of summaries explains some of the terms used below.  


Zahrani told US interrogators he was trained by Al Qaeda in intelligence collection techniques, explosives, bombings, hijackings, mechanical repair, hotwiring, poisons, and forced entry.


Zahrani told US interrogators that he was part of a unit that carried out assassinations of Northern Alliance leaders. The Northern Alliance was an ally of the US during the initial phase of the US war in Afghanistan. Zahrani said he participated in the assassination of Northern Alliance commander Al Baba Jumba and Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud.


Zahrani said that he fought on the front lines against the Northern Alliance.


Zahrani said that he executed an Egyptian suspected of spying on the militants for the Egyptian government. Zahrani also said that he participated in the interrogation of several suspected spies.


Zahrani was captured by Pakistani police during a house raid in May 2002.


Muhammed Zahrani was sent to Guantanamo in August 2002.


Zahrani said, “I am honored as a man to belong to Al Qaeda.” He also said, “I fought before and I will fight again,” and that if he is released he will “rejoin the jihad” wherever he is needed.


At his 2008 Administrative Review Board, Zahrani said he was not a member of Al Qaeda. He did not make this claim at his previous Administrative Review Boards. 


In January 2010 Obama's Guantanamo task force recommended Muhammed Zahrani for continued detention. 

Abdul Malik

ISN: 10025
Nationality: Kenyan


The following is a summary of the allegations against Abdul Malik found in publicly available US military documents. If US military documents about this prisoner are inaccurate or misleading then this summary will be as well. The introduction to this set of summaries explains some of the terms used below.  


On February 13, 2007 Abdul Malik was arrested by Kenyan Anti-Terrorism police at a café.


According to unclassified testimony sent to his lawyers, Abdul Malik says that during a flight to a US military base in Djibouti, American soldiers took him to the door of the aircraft and threatened to throw him out.


Abdul Malik says that a US interrogator told him, “You have two possible journeys: one back to your family, or another that is very, very long. If you don’t tell us what we want to hear, you will have a long, long journey; you will spend your life in a cage.”


According to his DAB, Abdul Malik told US interrogators that he was a member of the East Africa Al Qaeda (EAAQ) network. Salim Awadh Salim, an admitted member of EAAQ, identified Abdul Malik as a member of EAAQ.


Abdul Malik’s DAB says he admitted personal involvement in the November 28, 2002 terrorist attack against the Kikambala Paradise Hotel. Malik said that TNT was packed inside dried rotting sharks, and thus was able to pass undetected through Kenyan customs inspection. 13 people died in the attack.


Abdul Malik’s DAB says he admitted he participated in the planning and execution of the 2002 terrorist missile attack against an Israeli civilian airliner. The airliner was carrying 271 passengers. Malik said that he was in charge of videotaping the attack. The attack was unsuccessful.


Omar Said Omar said he maintained e-mail contact with Abdul Malik regarding the casing of potential targets in 2003, including western embassies and airliners.


Abdul Malik was sent to Guantanamo on March 23, 2007.


Abdul Malik is one of the few Guantanamo prisoners who has not faced a CSRT or any other parole-board style hearing. 



In January 2010 Obama’s Guantanamo task force recommended Abdul Malik for continued detention. 

Gouled Hassan Dourad

ISN: 10023
Nationality: Somali


The following is a summary of the allegations against Gouled Hassan Dourad found in publicly available US military documents. If US military documents about this prisoner are inaccurate or misleading then this summary will be as well. The introduction to this set of summaries explains some of the terms used below.  


Dourad told US interrogators that he trained at the Khaldan militant training camp in Afghanistan. He told interrogators he was a member of AIAI, a Somali militant group. He also said he was a member of the East Africa Al Qaeda (EAAQ) network.


Dourad told US interrogators that he observed the US military base Camp Lemonier to see if it would be a viable target for a terrorist attack. He said he concluded it was not. Camp Lemonier is located in the country of Djibouti, which boarders Somalia.


Dourad’s DAB says that according to “credible reporting from multiple sources,” AIAI and EAAQ conducted operational planning and pre-operational surveillance on Camp Lemonier in late 2003 and early 2004. Dourad’s DAB says the militant groups decided to attack the base with explosives hidden in a water truck, but that arrests of their members in 2004 and 2005 disrupted the operation.


Abdul Malik told US interrogators that Dourad was a member of both AIAI and Al Qaeda. Malik would later say that at least some of his interrogations were conducted under duress.


The National Security Service of Djibouti reported that Dourad resided in the US awaiting his family’s sponsorship to the US. The agency said sponsorship was granted and that Dourad’s parents and siblings relocated to the US. The agency said Dourad returned to Somalia after the September 11 attacks. This report says Dourad was in the United States during the time he told interrogators he was training in Afghanistan.


Gouled Dourad did not attend his 2007 CSRT, but did provide statements to his personal representative. He said that was not a member of AIAI or Al Qaeda, but that he did fight alongside AIAI against the Ethiopians. He said he did not fight against Americans. He was not presented with the allegation that he observed Camp Lemonier in preparation for a potential attack. He did not contest the allegation that he received military training in Afghanistan.


Djiboutian Authorities captured Gouled Dourad at his home in March 2004 for his alleged involvement in terrorist activities. He was transferred to US custody and interrogated by the CIA, at a time when the CIA was authorized to torture prisoners. Dourad was sent to Guantanamo on September 4, 2006 to be prosecuted for alleged terrorist activities against the United States.


In January 2010 Obama’s Guantanamo task force recommended Gouled Dourad for continued detention.



Gouled Dourad is one of 15 high value detainees imprisoned at Camp 7. The high value detainees are imprisoned separately from the general population at Guantanamo.