Secretary of State John Kerry told a Senate committee Wednesday that a terrorist who was released from the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and later rejoined Al Qaeda is “not supposed to be doing that.”
During testimony before the Senate Appropriations State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, Kerry was asked about Ibrahim al-Qosi, a former detainee who has rejoined the terrorist group.
Ibrahim al-Qosi speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on July 11, 2012 after his release from Guantanamo Bay. (Photo: Getty Images)
Ibrahim al-Qosi speaks during a press conference in Khartoum on July 11, 2012, after his release from Guantanamo Bay. (PGetty Images)
“Let me just ask one question,” Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said. “I want to show you a picture of Ibrahim al-Qosi, who was recently released by the administration to the Sudanese, and he appeared on some Al Qaeda videos recruiting people for [Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula].”
“Now that he’s out, I would hope we would end the policy of issuing terrorists to terrorist nations, where they can get out,” Kirk said.
“Well, senator, he’s not supposed to be doing that,” Kerry replied.
“There are consequences for that, and there will be,” Kerry continued. “But apart from that, the fact is that we’ve got people who’ve been held without charges for 13 years, 14 years in some cases. That’s not American, that’s not how we operate.”
Earlier this week, the Obama administration announced that it is planning to close the Guantanamo Bay facility and send detainees elsewhere, including facilities in the United States.