In brief
The oldest inmate at Guantánamo, Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, files a lawsuit to halt his transfer to Iraq, citing potential abuse and inadequate medical support as grounds for his appeal.
Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, the oldest inmate at Guantánamo Bay, is appealing to a federal court to prevent his transfer from the U.S. military prison in Cuba to a facility in Iraq. The 63-year-old prisoner has voiced concerns about possible abuse and insufficient medical care should the transfer take place. In a recent lawsuit filed on Friday, al-Iraqi, whose real name is Nashwan al-Tamir, captures the ongoing negotiations to shift him to the custody of the Iraqi government. His legal team argues that the Karkh prison near Baghdad, previously known as Camp Cropper, may not provide the safety or medical attention he requires due to his long-standing health complications — including a debilitating spine disease that necessitated multiple surgeries while in detention.Al-Iraqi's court filing underscores his concerns about Iraq's prison system, describing it as inadequate for his needs and expressing disbelief that the Iraqi authorities would be able to manage his medical issues, which were exacerbated during his imprisonment at Guantánamo. In 2022, he accepted responsibility for war crimes committed by insurgents under his command, leading to a plea deal that allows for a possible sentence completion in a facility better equipped for his health care.This lawsuit emerges amidst a broader strategy by the Biden administration to reduce the number of detainees at Guantánamo ahead of President-elect Donald J. Trump's term. Recent weeks have seen the repatriation of several other prisoners, but al-Iraqi stands alone in actively contesting his relocation to Iraq.
