Two Malaysians held at Guantanamo Bay prison for nearly two decades have been sent home to serve the remainder of their sentences, the US Department of Defence said on Wednesday, after they were held at the infamous US detention site in Cuba for their involvement in al-Qaeda-linked attacks, including the 2002 Bali bombings.
In a statement, the Pentagon announced the repatriation of Malaysian detainees Mohammed Farik Amin, 48, and Mohammed Nazir Lep, 47, after both pleaded guilty to offences including murder and conspiracy, in connection with attacks in Indonesia in the early 2000s and were sentenced to five years’ jail in January.
The Pentagon said the duo cooperated by testifying against Encep Nurjaman, or Hambali, the alleged mastermind of the attacks on nightclubs in Bali and the attack on the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in 2003.
Both Malaysians were members of Jemaah Islamiah (JI), a Southeast Asian militant group with ties to al-Qaeda. They were arrested in Thailand in 2003 – Mohammed Farik was detained in June of that year, while Mohammed Nazir was apprehended two months later alongside Hambali.
“In consultation with our partners in Malaysia, we completed the requirements for responsible transfer,” the Pentagon said. “The United States appreciates the support to ongoing US efforts toward a deliberate and thorough process focused on responsibly reducing the detainee population and ultimately closing the Guantanamo Bay facility.”
Later on Wednesday, Malaysia’s Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution confirmed that local authorities had gained custody of the duo, saying that the decision for the transfer was based on human rights principles.