S E C R E T / / NOFORN / / 20331229 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HEADQUARTERS, JOINT TASK FORCE GUANTANAMO U.S. NAVAL STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA APO AE 09360 JTF-GTMO-CDR 29 December 2008 MEMORANDUM FOR Commander, United States Southern Command, 3511 NW 9lst Avenue, Miami, FL 33172. SUBJECT: Response to the Designated Civilian Official (DCO) Decision to Transfer Guantanamo Detainee, AL ZUHAYRI, AHMAD ZAYID SALIM, ISN US9SA-000669DP (S) (S//NF) Although there is no new information discovered since his most recent assessment of 12 May 2008, JTF-GTMO strongly objects to the transfer of SA-669 based on the following key data points. JTF-GTMO continues to determine this detainee to be a HIGH risk, as he is likely to pose a threat to the US, its interests, and allies. Detainee is a likely recidivist candidate. (S//NF) Background: Detainee is a member of al-qaida and a veteran militant responsible for terrorist acts in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BK). Detainee participated in the murder of a US citizen and orchestrated a car bombing against civilians. Detainee recruited militants in order to target US citizens. Detainee reportedly assisted in the planning of the attack on the USS COLE and is associated with an operative in a failed attack against US personnel in Yemen (YM). Detainee is assessed to have received advanced militant training at multiple al-qaida affiliated training camps, participated in hostilities against US and Coalition forces, and is linked to the procurement, use, and distribution of false documents for extremists. Detainee was connected to extremist elements in Afghanistan (AF) and associated with multiple non-governmental organizations (NGO) linked to terrorism support. 1. (U) Details: (S//NF) Detainee is responsible for the November 1995 murder of US citizen, William Jefferson. 1 (S//NF) According to a Bosnian Agency for Investigation and Documentation (BAID) document, detainee is identified as participating in terrorist activities organized and encouraged on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, terrorist activities of international importance directed towards foreign citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 2 1 IIR 7 133 0023 01, IIR 7 131 0006 02, 000669 FBIS EUP200220325000195 25-MAR-2002, Jefferson Shooting MDITDS 4-Dec-1995, 000335 Transfer Objection 09-Oct-2007 2 IIR 7 130 1056 02 (paragraphs 5-7) CLASSIFIED BY: MULTIPLE SOURCES REASON: E.O. 12958, AS AMENDED, SECTION 1.4(C) DECLASSIFY ON: 20331229 S E C R E T / / NOFORN / / 20331229
S E C R E T / / NOFORN / / 20331229 JTF GTMO-CDR SUBJECT: Response to the Designated Civilian Official (DCO) Decision to Transfer Guantanamo Detainee, Ahmad Zayid Salim al-zuhayri, ISN US9SA-000669DP (S) (S//NF) Detainee planned and conducted a car-bomb attack against civilians in Mostar, BK. The explosion injured a large number of civilians and inflicted heavy material damage. 3 (S//NF) Detainee recruited a small group of fighters to look for American targets. 4 (S//NF) Khalid Shaykh Muhammad, aka (KSM), aka (Mukhtar), ISN US9KU- 010024DP (KU-10024), provided detainee with financial support. 5 (S//NF) YM-252 stated detainee regularly met with Usama Bin Laden (UBL) and had connections with unidentified Taliban leaders. 6 (S//NF) Detainee reportedly assisted in the planning of the attack on the USS COLE. Detainee praised al-qaida and UBL, stating UBL was a good man who was going to kill Americans. 7 (S//NF) Detainee is assessed to have received advanced militant training at multiple al-qaida affiliated training camps and participated in hostilities against US and Coalition forces. 8 Abu Yasir al-jazaeri and Fahd Umar Abd Al-Majid al-umari al-sharif, ISN US9SA-000215DP (SA-215) photo-identified detainee as Usama Shaibi Zahrani and stated detainee received all the training that was available at the Khaldan and al-faruq training camps. 9 (S//NF) Detainee is linked to the procurement, use, and distribution of false documents for extremists. From 1992 to 1993, detainee possessed 500 blank Bosnian passports, which he provided to the fighters. KU-10024 may have received his false Bosnian passport from detainee. 10 (S//NF) A member of the Stabilization Force s (SFOR) Joint Anti-Terrorist Task Force recognized detainee as Ahmed Zuhairi, aka (Handala), 11 Detainee, along with many other fighters, actively participated in criminal activities such as the theft and illegal trade of vehicles, weapons, military equipment, and falsified documents. 12 (S//NF) Detainee s alias appears on a document listing individuals who are accused of being terrorists and who have connections to Bosnia. 13 3 000669 KB SUP 19-APR-2006, 000669 FM40 08-Nov-2004, IIR 7 130 0120 02, 000669 STATE DEPT MSG 12- JAN-1998, FBIS FTS19980601000376, TD-314/16772-02, 000669 FBIS FTS19971227000395 27-DEC-1997, 000669 Liberation Bosnian National Daily from Sarajevo 26-DEC-1997 4 000669 FM40 08-Nov-2004 5 TD-314/13598-03 6 000252 FM40 05-JAN-2005, 000252 FM40 15-MAR-2005, 000252 302 11-APR-2003 7 IIR 6 034 0115 05, IIR 2 340 7279 02 8 TD-314/36178-04 9 000215 SIR 13-OCT-2005, TD-314/55561-05 10 TD-314/13598-03 11 IIR 7 130 0120 02 12 IIR 7 130 0120 02, IIR 7 130 1056 02, IIR 7 718 0012 02 (Paragraph 2) 13 IIR 1 663 2532 04 2 S E C R E T / / NOFORN / / 20331229
S E C R E T / / NOFORN / / 20331229 JTF GTMO-CDR SUBJECT: Response to the Designated Civilian Official (DCO) Decision to Transfer Guantanamo Detainee, Abar AL ZUHAYRI, Soufiann, aka AHMAD (Soufian ZAYID Abar SALIM, Huwari), ISN US9SA-000669DP US9AG-00 1016DP (S) (S//NF) Bosnian officials labeled detainee as a dangerous and a powerful "possible foreign Islamic extremist" at the field operative level.14 (S//NF) Detainee is associated with other extremists and NGOs with known terrorism ties in Bosnia and Afghanistan.15 (S//NF) Detainee is reported to be the leader of al-takfir Wa al-hijra in Bosnia. According to a National Air and Space Intelligence Center report on al-qaida representation in Bosnia, one of the groups first reported to be linked to al-qaida in Bosnia was the al-takfir wa al-hijra, led by Handala al-saudi (a variant of detainee's alias). l6 (S//NF) Senior al-qaida facilitator Sharqawi Abdu Ali al-hajj, aka (Riyadh the Facilitator), ISN PK9YM-00 145 7DP (YM- 1457), reported he saw detainee at the Kandahar house of Abu Dhahak.17 Abu Dhahak is the Afghanistan-based financier and facilitator for deceased Chechnya militant commander, Ibn al-khattab, aka (Emir Khattab). (S//NF) Detainee was identified as a substitute for an impending multiple-suicide at JTF-GTMO. 2. (S//NF) If released without rehabilitation, close supervision, and means to successfully reintegrate into his society as a law-abiding citizen, it is assessed detainee would immediately seek out prior associates and reengage in hostilities and extremist support activities at home and abroad. Commanding l4 IIR 7 133 0023 01 IS IIR 4 201 2234 06, IIR 7 130 0120 02, TD-3 14149641-01 l6 NAIC Bosnia NGO Summary 03-DEC-200 1, TD-3 1411 7329-97,000669 FBIS EUP200220325000 195 25-MAR- 2002, IIR 7 130 0120 02 " IIR 6 034 0059 05, IIR 6 034 01 10 05 S E C R E T / / NOFORN / / 20331229
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HEADQUARTERS, JOINT TASK FORCE GUANTANAMO U.S. NAVAL STATION, GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA APO AE 09360 JTF-GTMO Detainee Assessment 1. (S) Personal Information: 2. (U//FOUO) Health: 3. (U) JTF-GTMO Assessment: a. (S) Recommendation: b. (S//NF) Executive Summary: CLASSIFIED BY: REASON: DECLASSIFY ON:
[ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DETAINEE IS AVAILABLE IN AN SCI SUPPLEMENT.] HIGH HIGH HIGH c. (S//NF) Summary of Changes: 4. (U) Detainee s Account of Events: The following section is based, unless otherwise indicated, on detainee s own account. These statements are included without consideration of veracity, accuracy, or reliability. a. (S//NF) Prior History:
b. (S//NF) Recruitment and Travel: c. (S//NF) Training and Activities: 5. (U) Capture Information: a.
b. (S) Property Held: c. (S) Transferred to JTF-GTMO: d. (S//NF) Reasons for Transfer to JTF-GTMO: 6. (S//NF) Evaluation of Detainee s Account:
7. (U) Detainee Threat: a. (S) Assessment:HIGH b. (S//NF) Reasons for Continued Detention:
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c. (S//NF) Detainee s Conduct:HIGH 8. (U) Detainee Intelligence Value Assessment: a. (S) Assessment: HIGH
b. (S//NF) Placement and Access: c. (S//NF) Intelligence Assessment: d. (S//NF) Areas of Potential Exploitation:
S E C R E T //NOFORN I I 20330512 JTF-GTMO-CDR SUBJECT: Recommendation for Continued Detention Under DoD Control (CD) for Guantanamo Detainee, ISN US9SA-000669DP (S) 9. (S) EC Status: Detainee's enemy combatant status was reassessed on 24 October 2004, and he remains an enemy combatant. /'-/'-\ / /t I rtrna 4 revv-qz"-"----'( DAVID M. THOMAS JR. Rear Admiral, US Navy Commanding ' Definitions for intelligence terms used in the assessment can be found in the Joint Military Intelligence College October 2001 guide Intelligence Warning Terminology I3 S E C R E T //NOFORN I I 20330512