Guantanamo Bay Detainee Transfers Announced

The Department of Defense announced today the repatriation of Mohammed Farik bin Amin (ISN 10021) and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep (ISN 10022) from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the Government of Malaysia.

Mohammed Farik bin Amin (ISN 10021) and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep (ISN 10022) each pled guilty before a Military Commission to multiple offenses, including Murder in Violation of the Law of War, Intentionally Causing Serious Bodily Injury, Conspiracy, and Destruction of Property in Violation of the Law of War. Pursuant to a pretrial agreement between the U.S. and the two men, each has cooperated with the U.S. Government and has provided deposition testimony available for use against the alleged mastermind, Encep Nurjaman (ISN 10019), of the al-Qaida-affiliated attacks on nightclubs in Bali, Indonesia in 2002, and the attack on the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2003. On June 13, 2024, in accordance with the pretrial agreements, the Convening Authority approved sentences of confinement for approximately five years for each and recommended that both men be repatriated or transferred to a third-party sovereign nation to serve the remainder of the approved sentence.

On Nov. 14, 2024, Secretary of Defense Austin notified Congress of his intent to repatriate bin Amin and bin Lep to Malaysia, and, in consultation with our partners in Malaysia, we completed the requirements for responsible transfer.

The United States appreciates the support to ongoing U.S. efforts toward a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility.

Today, 27 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay: 15 are eligible for transfer; 3 are eligible for a Periodic Review Board; 7 are involved in the military commissions process; and 2 detainees have been convicted and sentenced by military commissions.