Ayotte Calls for Armed Services Committee Hearing on Release of Guantanamo Detainees

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today urged the Senate Armed Services Committee to hold a hearing regarding the transfer of five former top Taliban commanders - which the administration reportedly had previously deemed to be "high risk"- from U.S. military custody at Guantanamo Bay to Qatar. In a letter today to the committee's Chairman, Ayotte expressed deep concern that the transfer of these detainees could allow them to reengage in terrorist attacks against the U.S. and could encourage the Taliban and terrorist groups around the world to capture more Americans.

"With 29 percent of former Guantanamo detainees having reengaged or being suspected of reengaging in terrorism, the administration's decision to release these five terrorist detainees endangers U.S. national security interests," said Ayotte. "It also sets a precedent that could encourage our enemies to capture more Americans in order to gain concessions from our government. The Armed Services Committee has a responsibility to seek answers to these important questions, which have serious national security implications."

As an Armed Services Committee member, Ayotte has worked to place limits on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to foreign countries. She recently included an amendment in the Senate Armed Services Committee-approved version of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act that would establish a one-year prohibition on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to Yemen. Yemen is home to Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), which U.S. national security officials have declared is the most dangerous al Qaeda affiliate.

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