Washington: The US authorities announced Sunday the transfer of six prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention centre to Uruguay.
The six detainees had been detained for over a decade and included four Syrians, a Palestinian and a Tunisian, Xinhua reported.
According to an official statement, Ahmed Adnan Ahjam, Ali Hussain Shaabaan, Omar Mahmoud Faraj, Abdul Bin Mohammed Abis Ourgy, Mohammed Tahanmatan and Jihad Diyab were unanimously approved for transfer after a review of their cases.
That review, part of an executive order signed by US President Barack Obama in 2009, examined a number of factors, including security issues.
“In accordance with statutory requirements, the secretary of defence informed the Congress of the US government’s intention to transfer these individuals and of his determination that the transfer met the statutory standard,” the statement said.
“The US is grateful to the government of Uruguay for its willingness to support ongoing US efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility,” it said.
“The US coordinated with the government of Uruguay to ensure (that) these transfers (were)consistent with appropriate security and humane treatment measures,” the statement added.
Uruguayan President Jose Mujica had reaffirmed Friday his country’s willingness to accept the six Guantanamo prisoners.
Mujica, who had met US President Barack Obama in May, wrote about his government’s decision to accept the prisoners in an open letter to the US President.
“We have offered hospitality to human beings suffering an atrocious abduction in Guantanamo,” Mujica said.