On July 11, 2016, the United States interagency government panel charged with assessing the case of Guantanamo Bay detainee Abdul Latif Nasser "determined that continued law of war detention of the detainee is no longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the security of the United States." And yet, despite the panel's recommendation for "transfer only to Morocco, with the appropriate security assurances as negotiated by the Special Envoys and agreed to by relevant USG departments and agencies," Nasser has been kept in the infamous military prison for more than five years past his approved release date — until now.
After 19 years of detention for his alleged, if debatable, involvement with Al Qaeda — during which he was never actually charged with nor tried for a crime — Nasser was returned to his home country of Morocco on Monday, marking the first time a Guantánamo Bay detainee has been released and repatriated under President Biden. Monday's release marks the first time Nasser, who is 56, has left Gitmo since his 30s.
