Updated on
Summary Pentagon has announced transfer of another prisoner from Guantanamo Bay detention center.
The Department of Defense announcement on Saturday said that Omar Ahmed Khadr was transferred from the detention facility at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Canada. Omar Khadr pleaded guilty, pursuant to a pre-trial agreement in a military commission, to murder in violation of the law of war, attempted murder in violation of the law of war, conspiracy, providing material support for terrorism, and spying, the announcement explained.Pursuant to the pre-trial agreement, the convening authority had approved an eight-year sentence of confinement. The pre-trial agreement specifies that one year of confinement must be served in the custody and control of the US, and that Khadr could be transferred to Canada to serve the remainder of his sentence in accordance with Canadian law.The US government has returned Khadr to Canada where he will serve out his remaining sentence, and also coordinated with the government of Canada regarding appropriate security and humane treatment measures. In accordance with statutory reporting requirements, the administration also informed Congress of its intent to transfer Khadr to Canada.After transfer of Omar Khadar on Saturday, the remaining number of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention center has been reduced to 166. The US media reports said that Omar Khadar landed at a Royal Canadian airbase in Ontario and was transferred to the Millhaven maximum security prison at Bath, Ontario.Omar Khadar, currently 26, was born and raised in Canada and is believed to have taken part in terrorist activities in Afghanistan. He was only 15 years of age when captured by the US forces after a fight with al-Qaeda near Khost privince in Afghanistan in July 2002. Khadr will be eligible for early release from the Canadian jail because he was a juvenile when he committed his crimes.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC
