PoliticsPoliticsalgeriaguantanamo-prisoners

2 Guantanamo Prisoners Sent Back To Algeria

Guantanamo Population Falls
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In this photo reviewed by the U.S. military, dawn arrives at the now abandoned Camp X-Ray, which was used as the first detention facility for al-Qaida and Taliban militants who were captured after the Sept. 11 attacks at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013. Detainees were housed in open air pens until the completion of Camp Delta in April 2002. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

MIAMI (AP) — The U.S. government says it has released two prisoners from Guantanamo Bay and sent them back to their native Algeria.

A Pentagon statement on Thursday identified the two men as Djamel Saiid Ali Ameziane and Bensayah Belkecem. They had been held at the U.S. base in Cuba for more than a decade on suspicion of having links to terrorism but neither had been charged with any crime.

Military and State Department officials portrayed the release as part of a renewed effort by President Barack Obama to close the prison amid opposition by Congress.

The releases bring the prison population to 162.

A lawyer for at least one of the men had urged that he not be sent back to Algeria, where he fears persecution and imprisonment.

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Before You Go

Inside Guantanamo's Prison Facility
Guantanamo Guard Tower(01 of23)
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Located between Guantanamo's Camp Five and Camp Six. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Guantanamo detainee received physical therapy(02 of23)
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A skinny Guantanamo detainee receives physical therapy on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Empty cell block(03 of23)
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A cell block at Guantanamo's Camp VI that had been occupied until a raid on April 13, 2013. One detainee had written "stop tortur us. stop desclate our relgion" on the wall of his cell. The officer in charge of the facility said that detainees had hoarded all types of materials in the communal area. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Guantanamo Camp VI video feeds(04 of23)
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A Guantanamo guard looks over a video screen at Camp VI at Guantanamo in April. Detainees had blocked 147 of the prison's 160 cameras, according to a military official. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Weapons(05 of23)
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Water bottles filled with gravel were amongst the weapons officials said they confiscated from detainees after the raid in April. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Weapons(06 of23)
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Other weapons included broom sticks and shanks. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Occupied block(07 of23)
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A guard checks on detainees in a sparsely populated block of Guantanamo's Camp Six in April. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Guantanamo Medical Facility(08 of23)
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Military officials show journalists the room where some detainees were being force fed during the ongoing hunger strike at the facility. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Force Feeding chair(09 of23)
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A restraining chair used to feed detainees at Guantanamo. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Cans of Ensure at Guantanamo(10 of23)
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A guard displays cans of Ensure used to force feed detainees at Guantanamo. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Detainee handprint(11 of23)
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A handprint is shown on a Camp VI cell block that was occupied by a detainee until a raid in mid-April. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly)
Detainee shoe(12 of23)
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A shoe from a detainee left on the now-empty cell block. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Shower camera(13 of23)
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Cameras are everywhere in Guantanamo's Camp VI, even inside the shower. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Cell block(14 of23)
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The second level of an empty cell block in Camp VI as seen from below. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly)
Camp VI Sign(15 of23)
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A sign outside Guantanamo's Camp VI. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Guantanamo Flag At Half Staff(16 of23)
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A flag flying over Guantanamo's Camp Six flys at half staff in honor of victims of Boston Marathon massacre. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Camp Five Guards(17 of23)
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Guards at Camp Five stand watch during morning prayers. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Camp Five Cell Block(18 of23)
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An empty cell block in Guantanamo's Camp Five. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
"Splash" Shields(19 of23)
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Face shields intended to prevent guards from being hit in the face by "cocktails" of urine, feces and semen. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Water handoff(20 of23)
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A guard hands water to a detainee on the Bravo block of Guantanamo's Camp Five. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Dead Banana Rat(21 of23)
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A dead banana rat on the road to Guantanamo's prison facilities. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Sunrise By Guantanamo's Camp Five(22 of23)
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(credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
Obama, Hagel On Joint Detention Group Board(23 of23)
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President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel pictured at the headquarters of Joint Task Force Guantanamo's Joint Detention Group headquarters. (credit:Ryan J. Reilly / Huffington Post)
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