Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Belkacem, Bensayah (2006-11-19)

Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Belkacem, Bensayah (2006-11-19) (2006)
629059Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Belkacem, Bensayah (2006-11-19)2006
UNCLASSIFIED
Department of Defense
Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy
Combatants at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
19 November 2006
To: Belkacem, Bensayah
Subject: Unclassified Summary of Evidence for Administrative Review Board in the case of Belkacem, Bensayah
1.

An Administrative Review Board will be convened to review your case to determine if your continued detention is necessary,

2.

The Administrative Review Board will conduct a comprehensive review of all reasonably available and relevant information regarding your case. At the conclusion of this review the Board will make a recommendation to: (1) release you to your home state; (2) transfer you to your home state, with conditions agreed upon by the United States and your home state; or (3) continue your detention under United States control.

3. The following primary factors favor continued detention:
a. Commitment
  1. In September 2001 the detainee directed a group of naturalized former Bosnian Mujahedin of Algerian decent and supported himself and several other former families in Bosnia.
  2. In September 2001 the detainee planned to travel to join jihadist elements in Afghanistan in anticipation of the United States/Coalition invasion and the detainee encouraged his Algerian friends to do the same. The detainee applied for an Iranian visa in Sarajevo, Bosnia for onward travel to Afghanistan.
  3. The detainee was identified and detained by a Foreign government on suspicion of terrorist activities.
  4. The detainee was identified as the primary al Qaida facilitator in Bosnia.
  5. The detainee was known for his ties to the Chechen movement during 1999 and reportedly had a connection to an Usama bin Laden operative.
b. Connections/Associations
  1. When the detainee was detained in October 2001, he possessed numerous phone numbers that linked him to Usama bin Laden's operational network in Afghanistan and the global Sunni extremist network.
  2. When the detainee was detained in Octobre 2001, he also possessed the number of a Bosnian locksmith who was employed at the United States Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Further investigation revealed that the locksmith was the father-in-law of a known Armed Islamic Group member.
c. Other Relevant Data
  1. An open source reported that the detainee, also known to be the leader of a group in Algeria, had 3.5 million Marks of Bosnian currency deposited in a bank of Sarajevo, Bosnia, and several other members of the group had millions also deposited in banks. The open source reported that an investigation revealsed the High Saudi Committee had on its payroll almost all of the members of the group from Algeria, which had links to international terrorism.
4. The following primary factors favor release or transfer
a. The detainee denied that he has ever used name Abu Majd.
b.

The detainee stated he never associated with any terrorists or anyone who wanted to hurt the United States. The detainee never worked with al Harman or al Furquan, although he has heard of al Furquan.

c.

The detainee stated he never had any problems with the police anywhere aside from his arrest in Bosnia in October 2001 for allegedly plotting to attack the United States Embassy there.

d.

The detainee denied involvement in a plot to blow up the United States Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia. The detainee stated the Bosnian Government said that there was no case against him and that he would be sent back to Algeria.

e.

The detainne denies every having a bank account in Bosnia.

f.

The detainee denied being involved in the facilitating of fraudulent passports for others; the only involvement he had with fraudulent passports was that concerning his own fraudulent Yemeni passport.

g.

The detainee stated he did not know much of anything about the al Farquan and Haramayn organizations, and that he never heard of either organization being extremist. The detainee stated the Saudi High Commission could not be a bad because it was run by the Saudi Royal Family.

h.

The detainee stated he knew from the media reports of al Qaida and that Usama bin Laden was the leader, but he never heard of al Qaida operating in Bosnia.

i.

The detainee stated he would swear on the Koran again that he had nothing to do with al Qaida and has been telling the truth throughout his interrogations.

j.

The detainee denies any involvement with a Usama bin Laden operative, Bosnian Mujahedin members and other Algerian-Bosnians suspected of involvement with planning an attack against the United States Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

5.

You will be afforded a meaningful opportunity to be heard and to present information to the Board; this includes an opportunity to be physically present at the proceeding, The Assisting Military Officer (AMO) will assist you in reviewing all relevant and reasonably available unclassified information regarding your case. The AMO is not an advocate for or against continued detention, nor may the AMO form a confidential relationship with you or represent you in any other matter.