Updated Recommendation to Retain under DoD Control for Guantanamo Detainee, Suliman Hadj Abd Al Rahman, ISN: US9DA-000323DP.

Secret // X1

MEMORANDUM FOR Commander, United States Southern Command, 3511 NW 91st Avenue, Miami, FL 33172.

SUBJECT: (S) Updated Recommendation to Retain under DoD Control for Guantanamo Detainee, Suliman Hadj Abd Al Rahman, ISN: US9DA-000323DP.

1. (S) Personal Information: Suliman Hadj Abdl Al Rahman is a Danish national born on 5 Augyst 1973 (age 30) in Rockilde, Denmark. He is in good health.

2. (S) Detention Information: Subject detainee was recruited to be a courier by Mahiri Uthman, a recruiter/facilitator for the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). Detainee transported equipment, money and false documents between the United Kingdom (UK), Algeria, Germany, Spain, Mali, and Denmark. Detainee was involved with the highest leadership of the GSPC while conducting his courier duties. In August 2001 detainee traveled from the United Kingdom to Afghanistan (AF) with the intent to join the Jihad. Detaiene sought out Jaffar al-Jazeeri an Al Qaida operative facilitator who assisted in arranging for Algerians to attend training camps. Jazeeri informed detaiene that the training camps were closed until October. In the meantime, detainee stayed in a guesthouse in Jalalabad, AF, where he was taught basic skills on several weapons. While at the guesthouse, detainee learned of the World Trade Center attacks. The recruits were then given the opportunity to stay and fight or to leave. Detainee claims that he chose to leave and stayed with a group in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan. During EID (last day in Ramadan) 2001, he crossed the border into Pakistan, and was later handed over to US authorities and subsequently transported to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba on 9 February 2002 because of his knowledge of personnel running safehouses throughout Afghanistan and facilitators assisting those entering Afghanistan from Europe.

3. (S) Reasons for Continued Detention at GTMO: Detainee is assessed as being an Al Qaida sympathizer and a GSPC member. GSPC is listed as a terrorist group under Executive Order 13224 and categorized as a Tier 1 terrorist group. Prior to detainee's interest in GSPC and joining the Jihad in Afghanistan, detainee was a supporter of the Front Islamique du Salut (FIS). The goal of FIS is to overthrow the Algerian government and install and FIS-run Islamic administration. Detainee openly supported them during his college years and supported them in the 1991-1992 Algerian elections. According to detainee, the GSPC is made up of former FIS members. The detainee has connections with Bensayah Belkacem (ISN US4AF-10001DP), an Al Qaida contact and Usama Bin Laden's representative in the Balkans. The detainee is a close associate of Abu Hamza at the Finsbury Park Mosque. The detainee also has connections with Hassan Nasiralla, a Lebanese leader associated with a Danish mosque that planned an attack in September 2002 against Coalition forces. Finally the detainee has connections with Jaffar al-Jazeeri, an Al Qaida operative/facilitator in Afghainstan. Detainee is also associated with many GSPC members that are also associated with the Al Qaida Zarqawi network. It is assessed that the detainee was beginning to establish his Al Qaida ties just prior to his arrest. Additionally, detainee was also arrested in Algeria for his association to Algerian extremists.

4. (S) Assessment: Based on information collected and available to Joint Task Force Guantanamo as of 2 December 2003, detainee ISN: US9DA-000323DP is assessed as being a GSPC member and Al Qaida sympathizer. Moreover, based on the detainee's folder, the knowledgeability brief, and subsequent interrogations by JTF Guantanamo, the detainee is of intelligence value to the United States. Based on the above, detainee poses a high threat to the U.S., its interests, or its allies.

5. (S) Recommendation: Retain under DoD control.

6. (C) Coordination: On May 22, 2003 the Criminal Investigative Task Force (CITF) assessed this detainee as a high threat. JTF Guantanamo notified CITF of this updated recommendation on 3 December 2003. JTF GTMO and CITF agree on the threat of this detainee.

DERIVED FROM: Multiple Sources CLASSIFIED BY: ENDURING FREEDOM SCG DATE OF SOURCE: 28 March 2002 DECLASSIFY ON: X1