U.S. Sends 14 Saudis Home From Guantanamo

Fourteen Saudi Arabians were released yesterday from the detention center at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and transferred to their home country, the Pentagon said.

One was released because U.S. officials determined the detainee was no longer an enemy combatant. The others were released after an administrative review determined that they could be transferred.

The releases bring to 310 the number of detainees who have departed Guantanamo and been turned over to other governments, including those of Albania, Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden and Uganda.

About 450 detainees remain at Guantanamo, including 120 who are eligible for transfer or release. Decisions in their cases depend on discussions between the United States and other nations.

In designating the detainees as enemy combatants, the United States denies them the prisoner-of-war status that would guarantee certain rights under international law.

The Supreme Court is to rule this month on the legitimacy of special military tribunals set up to try some of the detainees for war crimes.