Biden Administration Transfers Guantanamo Bay Detainee to Belize, First of Three Detainees to be Transferred in Coming Weeks

The Biden administration has transferred a detainee from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Belize, the Pentagon announced on Thursday. Majid Khan, a Pakistani citizen and US resident, was captured in 2003 and was held for more than three years at secret CIA prisons known as “black sites.” He was sentenced in 2021 to a term of confinement for over 10 years with credit for the years he spent cooperating with U.S. personnel.

In a statement issued through his legal team, Khan said, “I have been given a second chance in life and I intend to make the most of it. I deeply regret the things that I did many years ago, and I have taken responsibility and tried to make up for them.” The Pentagon also noted that Khan had pledged to cooperate with the U.S. Government and honored his cooperation commitment.

The transfer of Khan is the first of at least three detainees that the Biden administration is preparing to transfer in the coming weeks. The officials did not provide details on the other two detainees, but said they are expected to be transferred to other countries.

The transfer of Khan is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, which was opened in 2002 by the Bush administration to detain suspected terrorists. The facility has been criticized by human rights groups for its indefinite detention of prisoners without trial and its use of torture. The Biden administration has said it is committed to closing the facility and has taken steps to reduce the number of detainees.