*EPF103 09/20/2004
Defense Department Report: 35 Guantanamo Detainees Transferred
(All transferred to Pakistan, 29 for continued detention) (210)

U.S. authorities have transferred 35 detainees being held at the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, to Pakistan, the Department of Defense says.

In a September 18 statement, the Pentagon said that 29 of the detainees were transferred to Pakistan for continued detention, while six were transferred to be released.

"This transfer includes the one detainee approved for release by [the Defense Department] and subsequently found to not be an enemy combatant by Combatant Status Review Tribunal," the statement said.

The Defense Department continues to review the status of detainees at Guantanamo. Considerations in the process include whether the detainee poses a further threat to the United States, as well as if the detainee still has intelligence information the United States values. The Pentagon acknowledges that its review system is not foolproof, and says that five previously released detainees returned to action.

The transfer of the latest 29 brings to 185 the total number of detainees transferred from Guantanamo to their home countries. Of that total, 158 have been transferred for continued detention, and 27 for release, according to the statement. About 550 detainees remain at Guantanamo, the Pentagon said.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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