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Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, Richard Burr (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and John McCain (R-AZ), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today expressed their concerns to the Obama Administration regarding the case of missing former Guantanamo Bay detainee Jihad Ahmad Dhiab, who was an Al Qaeda weapons smuggler before being detained and has expressed his desire to return to the Middle East to reengage in terrorist activity.

In a letter to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Secretary of State John Kerry, the senators requested clarification on the administration’s policy as well as information on what is being done to locate and capture Dhiab, who poses a threat to U.S. national security and Americans at home and abroad.  

“We are deeply concerned about the case of missing former Guantanamo Bay detainee Jihad Ahmad Dhiab,” the senators wrote. “Dhiab, a Syrian national, was a weapons smuggler for al-Qai’da before being captured in 2002 near the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan and subsequently transferred to the detention center at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba as an unlawful enemy combatant. In 2014 he was released from GTMO and resettled in Uruguay as a ‘refugee.’

“Despite repeated warnings from the Intelligence Community concerning Dhiab’s behavior as a detainee, terrorist past, and animosity toward the United States, the Administration proceeded with his release to Uruguay,” the senators continued. “Congress has repeatedly requested copies of the formal written agreement between the Administration and Uruguayan Government detailing the circumstances of Dhiab’s (and five other former GTMO detainees received by Uruguay) release and resettlement and has yet to receive those documents or an adequate response.”

A PDF of Rubio’s letter is available here and the full text is below:

July 13, 2016

The Honorable Ash Carter
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301

The Honorable John F. Kerry
Secretary of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Carter and Secretary Kerry:

We are deeply concerned about the case of missing former Guantanamo Bay detainee Jihad Ahmad Dhiab.  Dhiab, a Syrian national, was a weapons smuggler for al-Qai’da before being captured in 2002 near the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan and subsequently transferred to the detention center at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba as an unlawful enemy combatant. In 2014 he was released from GTMO and resettled in Uruguay as a “refugee.”

Despite repeated warnings from the Intelligence Community concerning Dhiab’s behavior as a detainee, terrorist past, and animosity toward the United States, the Administration proceeded with his release to Uruguay. Congress has repeatedly requested copies of the formal written agreement between the Administration and Uruguayan Government detailing the circumstances of Dhiab’s (and five other former GTMO detainees received by Uruguay) release and resettlement and has yet to receive those documents or an adequate response.   

While in Montevideo, Dhiab staked out the U.S. Embassy to “protest” his previous detention, made repeated derogatory remarks about the United States, and expressed his desire to return to the Middle East and reengage in terrorism. Dhiab is reportedly no longer in Uruguay and his current whereabouts are unknown.  We remain concerned that he may threaten the Olympics in Brazil, seek to utilize illicit trafficking networks to work his way north toward the United States, or attempt to travel to Turkey, Syria or Iraq.  We urge you to take all necessary steps with our South American partners to reacquire Dhiab and ensure that he is effectively monitored and, if appropriate, detained.

Given the significant security concerns highlighted by this case, we request that your respective staffs provide an update briefing on this case to the relevant congressional committees as soon as possible.  Please also provide written answers to the following questions:

We would appreciate an unclassified response to this letter with a classified annex, if necessary. 

Thank you for your attention to this request.

Sincerely,
Marco Rubio
United States Senator

Richard Burr
United States Senator

John McCain
United States Senator