Wolf to president: Don’t send detainees to Yemen

By JR Hoeft | Friday, November 13th, 2009 | Policy

The most transparent administration in the history of the United States has received a fourth in a series of unanswered letters from Rep. Frank Wolf – this one about the dangers of sending Guantanamo detainees to Yemen.

“If the administration does not halt these pending releases immediately, it could be responsible for creating a new revolving door of terrorism that will cost American lives,” Wolf wrote. “The security of the American people could be at risk because of the administration’s relentless pursuit of a campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay by January 22, 2010.”

Yemen is home to Anwar al-Aulaqi, the radical cleric who has ties to Fort Hood gunman Major Nidal M. Hasan and also mentored two of the 9/11 hijackers.

Additionally, Michael Leiter, director of the National Terrorism Center recently said in an interview, “In Yemen, we have witnessed the reemergence of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and the possibility that that will become the base of operations for al-Qaida.”

“Why has the administration made basic information about these dangerous detainees so highly classified that it cannot be shared with the American people or the media?” Wolf asked. “I have reviewed the materials. These are dangerous individuals. To release committed al Qaeda terrorists back to Yemen under these conditions would be an act of gross malfeasance that undermines the safety of the American people.”

The least the administration could do is explain why they’re pursuing this course of action, if not to Congressman Wolf, but to the American people.

Read Wolf’s letters

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