WASHINGTON — The US Justice Department confirmed Friday it had transferred two former detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Kuwait and Belgium after they were cleared for release from the controversial facility.
“Khalid Abdullah Mishal al Mutairi, a native of Kuwait, was transferred to the government of Kuwait,” the Justice Department said in a statement.
“Another detainee was transferred from Guantanamo Bay to the government of Belgium. Pursuant to a request from the government of Belgium, the identity of this individual is being withheld for privacy reasons.”
On Thursday, sources in both Kuwait and Belgium reported the arrival of the former detainees.
A lawyer for Mutairi, David Cynamon, confirmed his client had arrived in Kuwait, while Belgian television reported the arrival of an unidentified former detainee.
Belgian station VTM reported that the man would assume a new identity in Belgium and receive aid from a non-governmental organization.
The releases come as President Barack Obama’s administration continues to work towards closing the detention facility located on a US naval base in Cuba, despite acknowledging recently it will likely miss a self-imposed deadline to shut the prison camp by January 2010.
