Abu Sufian bin Qumu

Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu
Born (1959-06-26)26 June 1959
Derna, Libya
Detained at Guantanamo
ISN 557
Charge(s) No charge (held in extrajudicial detention)
Status Repatriated to Libyan custody; became a rebel commander in the Libyan civil war, founded a branch of the Islamist Ansar al-Sharia group

Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu (Arabic: أبو سفيان إبراهيم أحمد حمودة بن قمو‎, born 26 June 1959) is a citizen of Libya who was held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba.[1] Joint Task Force Guantanamo counter-terrorism analysts report he was born on 26 June 1959, in Derna, Libya.

Bin Qumu was transferred to Libya on 28 September 2007.[2] In 2011 he was the leader of a band of fighters in his hometown of Derna during the 2011 Libyan civil war.[3] After the war he led the miliant Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia's Derna branch.[4]

Prior History

A disclosed file from 2005 on WikiLeaks alleged that he served as a tank driver in the Libyan army. He later allegedly traveled to Afghanistan and trained in Bin Laden's Torkham Camp. After fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan, he allegedly worked as a truck driver for Wadi Al-'Aqiq, one of Bin Laden's companies in Suba, Sudan. He later joined the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, joined the Taliban in 1998, and he was a "probable member of Al Qaida and a member of the African Extremist Network."[3][5]

Repatriation and release

Bin Qumu was reported to have been released in October 2007.[6] He was transferred to Libya on 28 September 2007 [7] and was released from Abu Salim prison in 2010 following an amnesty for political prisoners.[8]

Libyan Civil War

Abu Sufian bin Qumu
Born (1959-06-26)26 June 1959
Derna, Libya
Allegiance Libya National Transitional Council (2011–)
Service/branch National Liberation Army
Battles/wars 2011 Libyan civil war

In 2011 Bin Qumu became the leader of a band of fighters in his hometown of Derna called Ansar al-Sharia during the 2011 Libyan civil war.[3][9]

Fox News reported Bin Qumu as possibly being involved with and may have led the 11 September 2012 attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya that resulted in the murder of four US Diplomats including US Ambassador Chris Stevens.[10] However, in September 2012, a US national security official reported to Mother Jones that "that report is wrong, there's no intelligence suggesting that he was leading the attack on the consulate that evening."[11] The NYT report purported this version. There are other reports that indicate members of Bin Qumu's Derna group may in fact have been present in Benghazi at the time of the attacks.[12]

On 10 January 2014, the U.S. Department of State listed Bin Qumu as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.[13]

References

  1. ↑ OARDEC (15 May 2006). "List of Individuals Detained by the Department of Defense at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba from January 2002 through 15 May 2006" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  2. ↑ Margot Williams (2008-11-03). "Guantanamo Docket: Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu". New York Times.
  3. 1 2 3 Holly Watt (26 April 2011). "WikiLeaks: Guantanamo detainee is now Libyan rebel leader". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2011-04-29.
  4. ↑ Aaron Zelin (21 September 2012). "Know Your Ansar al-Sharia". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Jay W. Hood (2005-04-22). "Update Recommendation to Transfer to the Control of Another Country for Continued Detention (TRCD) for Guantanamo Detainee ISN: US9LY-000557DP (S)" (PDF). JTF-GTMO. Retrieved 2011-10-29. EC Status: Detainee's enemy combatant status was reassessed on 2 November 2004, and he remains an enemy combatant. Media related to File:ISN 00557, Abu Sufyan Ben Qumu's Guantanamo detainee assessment.pdf at Wikimedia Commons
  6. ↑ "Pentagon frees eight Guantanamo detainees: The U.S. Supreme Court opens a new term with a detainee-rights issue". The Spectator. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  7. ↑ "Abu Sufian Ibrahim Ahmed Hamuda Bin Qumu - The Guantánamo Docket". The New York Times.
  8. ↑ "Libya releases 37 militant Islamists". EarthTimes.org. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
  9. ↑ Charles Levison (2 April 2011). "Ex-Mujahedeen Help Lead Libyan Rebels". Wall Street Journal.
  10. ↑ Bret Baier - Contributed (2012-09-19). "Al Qaeda, ex-Gitmo detainee involved in consulate attack, intelligence sources say". Fox News.
  11. ↑ "Obama Official Says No Evidence Gitmo Detainee Behind Benghazi Attack". Mother Jones. 20 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-23.
  12. ↑ Former Guantanamo detainee implicated in Benghazi attack - WP, January 2014
  13. ↑ Office of the Spokesperson (10 January 2014). "Terrorist Designations of Three Ansar al-Shari'a Organizations and Leaders". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 9 April 2015.

External links

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