| Baridad | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966 (age 45–46) Helmand |
| Arrested | February 10, 2003 United States Special Forces |
| Released | December 18, 2006 Kabul |
| Citizenship | Afghanistan |
| Detained at | Guantanamo |
| ISN | 966 |
| Charge(s) | No charge (extrajudicial detention) |
| Status | Repatriated in December 2006. |
Baridad is held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, in Cuba.[1] Baridad's Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 966.[2]
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Baridad was one of approximately one dozen men captured following an ambush of an American convoy on February 10, 2003, near the village of Lejay, Afghanistan.[3]
Baridad was among the 60% of prisoners who chose to participate in tribunal hearings.[4] A Summary of Evidence memo was prepared for the tribunal of each detainee.
Baridad's memo accused him of the following:[5]
The allegations against were:[5]
- The Detainee, when captured, was wearing an olive drab green jacket. He was stopped at a checkpoint because he was with a group observed caching weapons, which had recently been used against United States forces.
- The Detainee suffered hearing loss, which was caused by firing weapons.
- The Detainee had knowledge of an early warning system used to warn villagers of approaching United States or coalition forces.
- The Detainee operated an intelligence collection network in support of a former Taliban Chief of Intelligence.
Abdul Bagi requested as witnesses at his CSRT three fellow Lejay villagers who were detained at Guantanamo.[3][6] One of them was Baridad. Bagi asked his neighbors to testify that he was not a member of the Taliban; that he didn't own a weapon; that he was just a farmer, who was the sole support for his seven younger orphaned siblings.
During the Tribunal's questioning of Baridad he explained that he farmed Bagi's uncle's land.
In early September 2007 the Department of Defense released two heavily redacted memos, from his Board, to Gordon England, the Designated Civilian Official.[7][8] The Board's recommendation was unanimous The Board's recommendation was redacted. England authorized his transfer on 4 October 2005.
Detainees whose Combatant Status Review Tribunal labeled them "enemy combatants" were scheduled for annual Administrative Review Board hearings. These hearings were designed to assess the threat a detainee may pose if released or transferred, and whether there are other factors that warrant his continued detention.[9]
The following primary factors favor continued detention
- a. Commitment
- The detainee is a combatant involved in the ambush of U.S. Special Forces in Lejay, Afghanistan. He has knowledge of HIG and Taliban early warning systems and may have courier information.
- Hizb-I Islami Gulbuddin has long established ties with Bin Ladin. In the early 1990s, Hikmatyar ran several tourist training camps in Afghanistan and was a pioneer in sending mercenary fighters to other Islamic confiicts. Hikmatyar offered to shelter Bin Ladin after the latter fled Sudan in 1996.
- The Baghran Valley region extends through Lejay. The region has provided a continuous safe-haven to hostile Taliban forces providing C2 nodes, supplies, guerillas, training and staging areas. In time of attack all males pick up arms in defense of the valley against "invaders" (United States or coalition forces).
- b. Connections/Associations
- The detainee stated he had met Taliban member Abdul Wahid once a long time ago briefly in the Shinai village.
- Abdul Rais Wahid is a Mullah and is very closely linked with the Taliban and HIG.
- The detainee was detained during the United States/coalition forces muster of suspected individuals involved in a series of defensive attacks against U.S. forces attempting to apprehend Abdul Rais Wahid.
- c. Other Relevant Data
- On 10 February 2003, USSF observed an enemy at the top of the mountain. They stopped, appeared to cache weapons, and then maneuvered down the mountain. There the enemy entered into taxis or mounted motorcycles. They then proceeded to the checkpoin.
- Capture data indicates the detainee was apprehended at a checkpoint in a taxi.
- The detainee was wearing clothing that matched that of the attackers.
- Detainee suffered from hearing loss (assessed due to firing activity).
- The detainee said that USSF arrived in Lejay that morning, surprising everyone. This directly contradicts his previous statement that USSF had arrived in Lejay two days prior to detainee's arrest.
- The Baghran Valley provides a ready financial source to hostile Taliban forces courtesy of a robust poppy growth with subsequent opium and heroin production.
- The detainee is thin and feels weak. He requeste a serum shot be given to him intravenously. The detainee received three of these from a doctor while living in Afghanistan. He does not know what these shots contained.
- The detainee said that on the day of his capture when he awoke he felt ill. I was not able to go outside so my wife gave me a penicillin injection.
The following primary factors favor release or transfer
- The detainee stated he prays for American people because they provided wheat to him and other people in his village. He does not pray for the Taliban, because they have never done anything to help the people.
Baridad chose to participate in his Administrative Review Board hearing.[10] In the Spring of 2006, in response to a court order from Jed Rakoff the Department of Defense published an eight page summarized transcript from his Administrative Review Board.[11]
The New York Times reported that Baridad was repatriated to Afghanistan with six other Afghans on December 16, 2006.[12][13][14] The men were released the next day. The story reported:
On 16 March 2007 the Department of Defense published medical records for the captives.[15]
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