Guantanamo Bay
Detainees

On 19 January 2017, the day before the end of President Obama's 2nd term in office, DoD announced the transfer of three detainees to the United Arab Emirates. It also announced the transfer of one detainee to Saudi Arabia. As of that date, 41 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay.

On 17 January 2017, 3 days before the end of President Obama's term and the inauguration of Donald Trump as his successor, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of 10 detainees: Ghaleb Nassar Al Bihani, Mustafa Abd al-Qawi Abd al-Aziz Al-Shamiri, Karim Bostam, Abdul Sahir, Musab Omar Ali Al-Mudwani, Hail Aziz Ahmed Al-Maythali, Salman Yahya Hassan Mohammad Rabei'i, Mohammed Al-Ansi, Muhammad Ahmad Said Haider, and Walid Said bin Said Zaid from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the government of Oman. As of that date, 45 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay.

On 22 June 2016, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of Abdel Malik Ahmed Abdel Wahab Al Rahabi from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Montenegro. As of that date, 79 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay.

On 13 June 2015, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of Idris Ahmad 'Abd Al Qadir Idris, Sharaf Ahmad Muhammad Mas'ud, Jalal Salam Awad Awad, Saa'd Nasser Moqbil Al Azani, Emad Abdallah Hassan, and Muhammad Ali Salem Al Zarnuki from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to Oman. As of that date, 116 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay.

On 07 December 2014, the Department of Defense announcedthe transfer of Ahmed Adna n Ahjam, Ali Hussain Shaabaan, Omar Mahmoud Faraj, Abdul Bin Mohammed Abis Ourgy, Mohammed Tahanmatan, and Jihad Diyab from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Uruguay. As of that date, 136 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay

On January 22, 2009, President Obama signed executive orders directing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay detention facilities withing a year and the immediate case-by-case review of detainees still held at the facility. Other orders signed that day included an order prohibiting the Central Intelligence Agency from secretly holding detainees in other countries and an order aligning interrogations standards to those outlined by the US Army.

As of January 17, 2009, approximately 245 detainees remained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

On January 17, 2009, DoD announced the transfer of six detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Four detainees were transferred to Iraq, one to Algeria and one to Afghanistan

On December 16, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Bosnia and Herzegovina

On November 25, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of Salim Hamdan from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Yemen

On November 10, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of two detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Algeria

On November 4, 2008, DoD announced the return of one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Somaliland.

On October 8, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of two detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. One detainee was transferred to Algeria and one detainee was transfered to Sudan.

On September 02, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Two detainees were transferred to Afghanistan and one detainee was transferred to Pakistan.

On August 26, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of two detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Algeria

On July 28, 2008, DoD announced the tranfer of three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; one detainee was transferred to Afghanistan, one detainee to the United Arab Emirates, and one detainee to Qatar

On July 02, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of two detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Algeria

On May 2, 2008, DoD announced the transfer of nine detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Five detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, three to Sudan and one to Morocco.

On March 14, 2008, DoD announced that it had custody of Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani, a high-level member of al-Qaida captured in the War on Terror,previously held in CIA custody, and had placed him under control of the Joint Task Force at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

On December 28, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of ten detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Saudi Arabia.

On December 20, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to the United Kingdom.

On December 12, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of fifteen detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Thirteen detainees were transferred to Afghanistan and two to Sudan.

On November 10, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of fourteen detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia.

On November 04, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of eleven detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Eight detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, and three to Jordan.

On October 16, 2007, DoD announced it would grant access for a civilian defense attorney to meet with Majid Khan, a Pakistani national and one of 15 high value detainees held at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay.

On September 29, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of eight detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Six detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, and one each to Libya and Yemen.

On September 28, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Mauritania.

On September 12, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of a terror suspect to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. According to DoD, Inayatullah, an Afghan national, had been captured as a result of ongoing DoD operations in the struggle against violent extremists in Afghanistan and had admitted that he had been the Al Qaeda Emir of Zahedan, Iran, and planned and directed Al Qaeda terrorist operations. Inayatullah collaborated with numerous Al Qaeda senior leaders, to include Abu Ubaydah al-Masri and Azzam, executing their instructions and personally supporting global terrorist efforts. Inayatullah attested to facilitating the movement of foreign fighters, significantly contributing to trans-national terrorism across multiple borders. Inayatullah met with local operatives, developed travel routes and coordinated documentation, accommodation and vehicles for smuggling unlawful combatants throughout countries including Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Iraq.

On September 6, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of sixteen detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia.

On August 09, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of six detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Five detainees were transferred to Afghanistan, and one was transferred to Bahrain.

On August 09, 2007, DoD announced the completion of the Combatant Status Review Tribunals (CSRT) for the 14 high-value detainees whose transfer to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba was announced on Sept. 6, 2006.

On July 16, 2007, DoD announced that it had transferred of sixteen detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia. As a result of this transfer, approximately 80 detainees remained at Guantanamo who the U.S. government had determined eligible for transfer or release.

On June 22, 2007, DoD announced that terror suspect Haroon al-Afghani had been tranferred to Guantanamo Bay. Accodring to DoD, Haroon al-Afghani was captured as part of the Global War on Terror, was said to be associated with high-level militants in Afghanistan, and admitted to serving as a courier for al-Qaeda Senior Leadership (AQSL). In addition, DoD claimed that Haroon al-Afghani was a senior commander of Hezb-e-Islami/Gulbuddin (HIG), a declared hostile terrorist group associated with AQ in Afghanistan and commanded multiple HIG terrorist cells that conducted improvised explosive device (IED) attacks in Nangarhar Province. He was assessed to have had regular contact with senior AQ and HIG leadership.

On June 19, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of six detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Two detainees were transferred to Tunisia and four detainees were transferred to Yemen.

On June 06, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of Abdullahi Sudi Arale, suspected of being a member of the Al Qaeda terrorist network in East Africa, and of serving as a courier between East Africa Al Qaeda (EAAQ) and Al Qaeda in Pakistan, to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In late May 2007, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay was found dead in his cell from an apparent suicide.

On May 19, 2007, DoD announced that it had transferred David Matthew Hicks from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Australia.

On April 27, 2007, DoD announced that it had it taken custody Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, a high-level member of al-Qaida captured in the War on Terror and placed him under control of the Joint Task Force at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Prior to his arrival at Guantanamo Bay, he was held in CIA custody

On April 26, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan and the transfer of one detainee to Morocco.

On March 30, 2007, DoD announced the transfer of one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to the United Kingdom.

On March 06, 2007, DoD announced the completion of the second round of annual administrative review boards (ARB) conducted for enemy combatants detained at the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The ARB is a review process which provides an opportunity for the detainee to appear before and present information to a three-member board of military officers. The outcome, based primarily on current threat assessment and intelligence value of each detainee, can be to release, to transfer to the control of another country, or to continue to detain the detainee at Guantanamo for another year. Hearings for the second round were conducted from Jan. 30, 2006, to Dec. 6, 2006, at Guantanamo Bay. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, the designated civilian official (DCO) for the ARB process, made final decisions on all 328 board recommendations consisting of 55 (17 percent) transfers and 273 continued detentions.

On March 01, 2007, DOD announced that charges had been referred to a military commission in the case of David Matthew Hicks by the Convening Authority, Office of Military Commissions, Susan J. Crawford. The convening authority referred one charge with two specifications of providing material support for terrorism against Hicks, a non-capital case.

On March 01, 2007, DOD announced that it had transferred two detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan and three detainees to Tajikistan.

On February 21, 2007, DOD announced that it had transferred seven detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia.

On December 17, 2006, DOD announced that it had transferred seven detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan, five detainees to Yemen, three detainees to Kazakhstan, one detainee to Libya, and one detainee to Bangladesh. Additionally, one detainee was released to Yemen. Aproximately 85 detainees remained at Guantanamo who the U.S. Government had determined eligible for transfer or release through a comprehensive series of review processes

On December 14, 2006, DOD announced that it had transferred 16 detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia.

On November 17, 2006, DOD announced that it had released three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Albania. One of the detainees is an Algerian national, one is an Egyptian national, and one is an ethnic Uzbek who was born in the former Soviet Union. All three detainees were determined to be "No Longer Enemy Combatants" (NLEC) through a Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT).

On 16 October 2006, DOD announced that it had transferred one detainee to Bahrain, one detainee to Iran and two detainees to Pakistan.

On 12 October 2006, DOD announced that it had that it had transferred 16 detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan, and one detainee to Morocco. As a result of the transfer, approximately 110 detainees remained at Guantanamo whom the U.S. government had determined eligible for transfer or release through a comprehensive series of review processes. As a result of the transfer, approximately 335 detainees had departed Guantanamo for other countries.

On 14 September 2006, DoD announced that it had transferred two detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Kuwait due to an Administrative Review Board decision.

On 06 September 2006, DoD announced that, at the direction of President Bush, it had taken custody of 14 high-value detainees captured in the War on Terror and previously held at secret CIA detention facilities. These detaineed were placed them under control of the Joint Task Force at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On that same day, DoD also released two new documents meant to establish crystal-clear guidelines on U.S. military detention and interrogation policies: DoD Directive 2310.01E, which provides overarching guidance on DoD’s detainee operations worldwide, and Army Field Manual 2-22.3, which lays out specific guidelines for those directly involved in detention and interrogation efforts.

On August 26, 2006, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred five detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Afghanistan. With this transfer, approximately 315 detainees had departed Guantanamo for other countries.

On August 24, 2006, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Germany. The detainee had been recommended for transfer due to an administrative review board process conducted at Guantanamo Bay.

On June 24, 2006, the Department of Defense announced that it transferred 14 Saudi detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia. This movement included one detainee found to no longer be an enemy combatant by the Combatant Status Review Tribunals. The other thirteen detainees were approved for transfer by an Administrative Review Board (ARB) decision at Guantanamo. With that transfer, approximately 120 detainees remaiedn at Guantanamo who the U.S. government had determined eligible for transfer or release through a comprehensive series of review processes.

On June 16, 2006, the Department of Defense announced that it repatriated remains of three detainees who died of apparent suicides on June 10, 2006, from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

On June 10, 2006, three detainees housed at Camp 1 were found shortly after midnight after having reportedly committed suicide. Two of the detainees in question were Saudi nationals while the third was from Yemen. According to the JTF-GTMO commander, all three detainees had previously participated in a hunger strike at one time with the Yemeni detainee a long-term hunger striker who had begun his strike in 2005 and ended it in May 2006. The other two detainees had participated in one hunger strike in 2005 and another short one in 2006. According to DoD, all three detainees were not charged under military commissions and were not being actively interrogated. All three detainees left suicide notes in Arabic.

On February 24, 2006, U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in New York ordered the Department of Defense to release the names of all the detainees held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Department of Defense had until March 3, 2006 to release the identities of the detainees to the Associated Press but had indicated it did not plan to appeal and would comply with the ruling.

On February 16, 2006, the United Nations released a report on the status of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This report comes following an 18-month study by experts into the situation of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The report calls for the detention camps to be closed immediately and that all detainees should be brought before a tribunial or released. The report's findings are based on information from the United States Government, interviews conducted by the experts with former Guantánamo Bay detainees currently residing or detained in France, Spain and the United Kingdom and responses from lawyers acting on behalf of some current detainees. It also relies on information available in the public domain, including reports prepared by non-governmental organizations, information contained in declassified official United States documents and media reports. The experts did not accept the invitation go down to Gunatanamo Bay because the United States government would not give them free access to the base nor allow them to interview detainees while they were there.

On February 9, 2006, the Department of Defense announced the completion of the first round of Administrative Review Board (ARB) decisions. All of the hearings for this first round were conducted from Dec. 14, 2004, to Dec. 23, 2005. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, the Designated Civilian Official (DCO) for the ARB process, made final decisions on all 463 board recommendations; these decisions consisted of 14 releases (3 percent), 120 transfers (26 percent) and 329 continue to detain (71 percent).

On February 9, 2006, the Department of Defense announced that it released seven detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Afghanistan. This movement included five detainees recommended for release by the Administrative Review Board. Approximately 490 detainees then remained at Guantanamo.

On February 9, 2006, the Department of Defense announced that it transferred four detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This movement included the transfer of three detainees to Morocco and one detainee to Uganda.

On February 7, 2006, Mark Denbeaux, professor at Seton Hall University Law School and counsel to two Guantanamo detainees, and Joshua Denbeaux released a report on the Guantanamo detainees. This report used information contained in the Combatant Status Review Board Letters, released by the Department of Defense, to compile a profile on the detainees. It provides a more detailed picture of who the detainees are, how they ended up at Guantanamo, and what evidence there is to support their classification as enemy combatants. Some of the information contained in the report include the fact that only 8% of the detainees are classified as Al Qaeda fighters and only 5% were actually captured by US forces (most were arrested by Pakistan and the Northern Alliance and then turned over to the United States).

On November 5, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it released or transferred four detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This movement included the release of one detainee to Saudi Arabia and the transfer of three detainees to Bahrain. This brought the number of detainees at Guantanamo Bay to approximately 500.

On November 3, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it transferred five detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Kuwait.

On October 1, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it released one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Egypt.

On September 12, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it released one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to the government of Afghanistan.

On August 22, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it released three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This detainee movement included the release of one detainee to Yemen, one detainee to Tajikistan, and one detainee to Iran.

On July 20, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it released or transferred eight detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This movement included the releases of one detainee to Sudan, two to Afghanistan, three detainees to Saudi Arabia, one to Jordan and one detainee transferred to the government of Spain.

On April 19, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it transferred 17 detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Afghanistan for release and one detainee to Turkey for release. This brought the number of detainees at Guantanamo to approximately 520.

On March 12, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Afghanistan, Maldives and Pakistan for release.

On March 07, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred three detainees from Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba, to France for prosecution. This transfer increased the number to 211 detainees who had departed GTMO. As a result of the transfer, there were no longer any French citizen held at Guantanamo Bay, from a total of seven French prisoners initially held by the U.S. at the facility.

On January 28, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred one Australian detainee from U.S. facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, (GTMO) to the custody of Australia.

On January 25, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred four British detainees from U.S. facilities in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) to the custody of the United Kingdom.

On January 16, 2005, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Kuwait for prosecution.

That same day, the Department of Defense issued another release in which it announced that it had transferred 10 detainees from Afghanistan to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This transfer increased the number of detainees held there to approximately 549 detainees.

On September 22, 2004, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred 11 detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Afghanistan for release. This transfer brought the number of detainees who have left Guantanamo Bay to 202 and the number of detainees held there at approximately 539 detainees.

On September 18, 2004, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred 35 detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The transfer included 29 to the control of Pakistan for continued detention and six to Pakistan for release. The transfer also included the one detainee approved for release by DoD and subsequently found to not be an enemy combatant by Combatant Status Review Tribunal.

On August 2, 2004, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred five detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to the control of the government of Morocco as these detainees were Moroccan nationals.

On July 27, 2004, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred four detainees, all French nationals, from Guantanamo Bay, to the control of the government of France. The transfer brought to the number of detainees who have left Guantanamo to 151. This followed the announced transfer of a Swedish detainee earlier that month.

On January 29, 2004, the US DoD announced that it had released three teenagers, believed to be aged 13 to 15, and returned home to Afghanistan. The three had been held at the Iguana House facility. Two had been detained as a result of two in raids on Taliban camps while the third was captured while reportedly trying to obtain weapons. The release brought to 87 the number of detainees released from Guantanamo Bay, in addition to 4 detainees which were transferred to the care of Saudi Arabia.

On November 24, 2003, the Department of Defense announced that it had transferred 20 detainees for release from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to their home countries on Nov. 21. Additionally, approximately 20 detainees arrived at Guantanamo from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on Nov. 23, putting the number of detainees at GTMO at approximately 660.

On July 18, 2003, the Department of Defense announced the transfer of 27 detainees for release from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to their countries of origin, after determining that these detainees either no longer posed a threat to U.S. security or no longer required detention by the United States. DOD also announced the arrival of approximately 10 enemy combatants to Guantanamo Bay.

On May 16, 2003, the US Department of Defense announced the release of one detainee from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the transfer of four Saudi detainees for continued detention by the Government of Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2003; US officials having determined that these detainees either no longer posed a threat to U.S. security or no longer required detention by the United States.

It was revealed in late April/early May 2003, that US Secretary of State Colin Powell had written a letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld complaining of the indefinite detention and lack of progress on the determination of the status of detainees there. It was also revealed that the detainees included also "one 13-year-old, one 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds, one 16-year-old, an 88-year-old, and a 98-year-old".

As of early February 2003, there had been a total of 15 suicide attempts by detainees since Al-Qaeda suspects began being flown to Guantanamo Bay. As of February 6, 2003, five of these 15 attempts had taken place within the span of the previous three weeks. The most serious incident took place on January 16, 2003, during which a detainee was found hanging in his cell and was only prevented from killing himself through the intervention of guards. The prisoner was said to be in stable but serious condition.

As of mid-June 2004, the Associated Press reported that there had been 34 suicide attempts by 21 detainees since January 2002. Of that number, 14 detainees had made attempts on their lives between January and March 2003. In August 2003, a massive "self harm action" also occurred when about 23 detainees tried to hang themselves with bedding or clothing over an eight day period. None of the attempts have been successful, however one detainee was left brain-damaged.

According to defense officials, every effort is made to prevent suicide attempts as well as other efforts by prisoners to intentionally injure themselves. Mental health teams are assigned to work with the detainees. With authorities concerned, both medical and security teams were reported to have stepped up their efforts to prevent further suicide attempts, as well as other actions by detainees to harm themselves intentionally. Other actions taken reportedly included having guards enter cells during suicide attempts without waiting for response teams and also swapping standard military blankets for ones designed to rip when either twisted or stretched. Many detainees have been showing signs of depression and about one fifth are on some sort of anti-depressant.

As of early December 2002, it was also reported that about five percent of the detainee population at Camp delta were being treated for psychological disorders either pre-existing or that have arisen since their arrival at the Guantanamo Bay. According to a story from the British paper, The Mirror, dated September 9, 2002, 30 detainees had over time tried to take their lives, with some of these using the plastic utensils provided to them to try and slash their wrists.

Detainees at Guantanamo Bay participated in several hunger strikes from 2002 to 2006. The first one began around February of 2002. The spark for the strike seemed to be when a guard took a turban away from a detainee while the detainee was praying. After that event, the detainees began a rolling hunger strike. But as the strike progressed it turned into a protest about the detainee's indefinite detention, living conditions, and lack of access to the legal process. At its peak, there were about 194 detainees participating in the strike. During this time, several to the strikers were given IV fluids. The strike ended in May of 2002 when the last two strikers were fed through a feeding tube after fasting for more than sixty days. According to some released detainees, there was another hunger strike at the end of 2002. It lasted for about six weeks and it began because the Koran was mistreated.

Another hunger strike began in June of 2005. This strike was, in general, to protest the living conditions and lack of due process of law. Some specific demands included being able to write and receive letters from their families, being able to see the sun, have a neutral body report their findings to the public, and have all the detainees treated equally. Detainees in all five camps participated. According to lawyers of some of the detainees participating in the strike, the detainees declared that the strike was to be non-violent, and to continue until they receive better treatment or until they die. Defense officials put the number of participants at 52, but other reports indicate that the number was closer to 200. Many detainees were administered IV fluids during the strike. The strike ended on July 28, 2005 when the officials at Camp Delta said that they would change the conditions of the camp and set up a detainee representative council.

On August 8, 2005, numerous detainees at Camp Delta resumed the hunger strike. This resumption was due to the defense officials, reportedly, reneging on their promises. Conflicting reports were given on the peak number of detainees participating in the strike. Lawyers for some of the detainees put the numbers around two hundred, but military officials say the numbers were less than that and closer to one hundred. One reason for this discrepancy is that the two groups had different definitions of what constitutes a "hunger strike." The military said that a detainee is considered on a hunger strike when they have refused nine consecutive meals. Many detainees have said that they participated in the hunger strike and, to them, it could mean just eating a few meals or only drinking beverages. The amount of detainees participating in the strike fluctuated for several months, but the numbers have slowly been declining. On December 1, 2005, there were, according to the Department of Defense, about 35 detainees still on strike. As of February 7, 2006, that number had since dwindled down to about 4.

Numerous detainees were given nutrients through a feeding tube when their health and lives became in danger. According to the Department of Defense, the feedings were always done humanely with lubricant and a thin, flexible feeding tube inserted through the nose. They have also said that most of the detainees voluntarily submit to the feedings. Several detainees have given accounts opposite of what the Department of Defense has said. They have said that they were forced to receive the feeding tubes and that the tubes were as thick as a finger and were violently pushed up their noses. Lawyers for several detainees have said that their clients stopped participating in the hunger strike because they did not want to suffer the pain of being force fed anymore. The feeding of detainees through a feeding tube also brought up questions about medical ethics. The American Medical Association has said that doctors should respect a person's right not the receive nourishment as long as they are capable enough to make that decision.

On October 28, 2002, the Department of Defense announced that the first release of detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had taken place on Oct. 26, 2002. They numbered four. Senior leadership of the Department of Defense, in consultation with other senior U.S. government officials, determined that these detainees no longer posed a threat to U.S. security. On October 28, 2002, a group of Al-Qaeda and Taliban detainees arrived at Camp Delta under tight security, bringing the total number of detainees to approximately 625.

On August 5, 2002, 34 suspected terrorists arrived at Guantanamo Bay, by an Air Force C-17 military aircraft, thus bringing to 598 the total number of detainees being housed at Camp Delta.

As of June 26, 2002, the total number of detainees at Camp Delta was standing at 536.