Senator Ayotte Renews Call for Limiting Detainee Transfers Following Escape of Al Qaeda Militants from Yemen Prison

Press Release

Following reports that as many as 60 al-Qaeda militants escaped today from a prison in Yemen, U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, renewed her call for a stronger U.S. terrorist detention policy that includes permanent limits on the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo to foreign countries.

"While it is unclear whether any of the escapees are former Guantanamo detainees, this alarming news is further evidence that future transfers of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to countries like Yemen are unwise. Such transfers pose the risk of escape and recidivism, representing an unjustifiable security threat to our nation and the world," said Senator Ayotte, who personally inspected Guantanamo during an official visit in March. "Today's news also further underscores the urgent need for the U.S. to develop a responsible detainee policy that establishes Guantanamo Bay as the location for the long-term detention of current and future terrorist detainees."

In response to questioning by Senator Ayotte during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in February, Secretary Gates confirmed that approximately 25 percent of the Guantanamo detainees who have been released have reengaged or are suspected of having reengaged in hostilities against the United States and our allies.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Ayotte has worked to keep open the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention facility, keep terrorist detainees out of the United States, and limit the transfer of detainees from Gitmo to foreign countries. Last week, Senator Ayotte successfully worked to include in the Senate version of the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Authorization bill a provision she authored that permanently prohibits funding for the construction or modification of facilities in the United States to house terrorist detainees. The measure was approved by the full Committee on Thursday. In May, Senator Ayotte introduced the Detaining Terrorists to Secure America Act (S. 944), bipartisan legislation that would keep open the Guantanamo Bay facility for the detention and interrogation of current and future terrorists. The bill would also permanently limit the transfer of detainees to foreign countries.

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