Guantanamo prisoner released sparks backlash

The Defense Department has sent a Saudi prisoner at the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, back to his home country to treat mental illness, angering families of the 9/11 victims and some GOP lawmakers.

Mohammad Ahmad al-Qahtani was transported to a treatment facility in Saudi Arabia after a review by military and intelligence officials found he could be safely released after 20 years in custody.

“On June 9, 2021, the Periodic Review Board process determined that … detention of Mohammad Mani Ahmad al-Qahtani was no longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States,” the Pentagon said in a statement.