Point of Contact:

U.S Southern Command, Public Affairs Office

Mr. Jose Ruiz 305-437-1213

e-mail: jose.ruiz@hq.southcom.mil

MIAMI – Joint Task Force-Guantanamo announced that a Yemeni detainee died of an apparent suicide late Monday evening.

The detainee is identified as Muhammad Ahmad Abdallah Salih, also known as Al Hanashi, a 31-year-old Yemeni.  Al Hanashi arrived at Guantanamo in February 2002.

While conducting routine checks, the guards found the detainee unresponsive and not breathing.  Medical personnel were immediately summoned by the guard force.  After extensive lifesaving measures had been exhausted, the detainee was pronounced dead by a physician.

The remains of the deceased detainee are being treated with the utmost respect.  A cultural advisor is assisting the Joint Task Force to ensure that the remains are handled in a culturally sensitive and religiously appropriate manner.  The remains will be autopsied by a pathologist from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology.  Upon completion of the autopsy, the remains will be prepared for repatriation to Yemen.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service has initiated an investigation of the incident to determine the cause and manner surrounding the death.

Intelligence reports indicate that Al Hanashi traveled to Afghanistan in 2001 to participate in jihad.  He admitted to fighting alongside the Taliban.  He fought on the front lines but claimed to have not killed anyone he shot at.  Al Hanashi resided in four different al-Qaida and Taliban-affiliated guest houses, and was captured at Mazar-e-Sharif following the uprising there.

Joint Task Force Guantanamo continues to provide safe, humane, legal and transparent care and custody of detainees. This mission is being performed professionally and humanely by the men and women of Joint Task Force Guantanamo.