Guantanamo 25 years after September 11: unresolved legal cases
The detention camp at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, opened in January 2002 during Washington’s declared “war on terror,” remains operational. At the beginning of 2025, 15 people were held there: some were awaiting transfer to other countries, proceedings before military commissions were ongoing for others, and three were held without criminal charges and without approval for transfer, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
In total, approximately 800 men passed through the camp. According to the outlet, the reduction in the number of prisoners has not resolved outstanding issues, including court cases, testimony obtained under coercive conditions, and years-long delays in proceedings before military commissions.
The case of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
One of the key cases remains that of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is accused of organizing the September 11, 2001 attacks. He was captured in Pakistan in 2003, after which he was held in CIA custody and subjected to harsh interrogations. In 2006, Mohammed was transferred to Guantanamo along with other so-called high-value detainees, who had previously been held at secret CIA facilities.
In August, a military judge tentatively set June 5, 2028, as the start date for the trial of Mohammed and three other defendants before a military commission in Guantanamo. Prosecutors decided not to use his 2007 confession, in which he admitted responsibility for the attacks, after it was found to be involuntary and obtained under coercion. The outlet notes that the prosecution did not appeal the decision, fearing further delays in the proceedings.
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Detention of migrants at the base
In January 2025, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump instructed the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security to expand the Migrant Operations Center at the Guantanamo base to full capacity in order to create additional space for holding migrants. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents confirmed special procedures for their detention at the base, including at Camp 6 and the Migrant Operations Center.
According to U.S. media, 31-year-old Somali citizen Adam Abdulla, who was detained by immigration authorities in Minnesota, was transferred to Guantanamo. He has legal status in the United States and is subject to periodic checks by immigration authorities. Abdulla was reported to have been held at Camp 6 for about two weeks; he was one of eight Somali citizens held there.
Asharq Al-Awsat emphasizes that the system for holding terrorism suspects and the migration centers at the base are not a single legal institution. At the same time, the use of the same remote base to hold migrants has again raised questions about the limits of U.S. authorities’ powers and the future of Guantanamo.
