Kenyan man held at Guantanamo Bay back home

Mohamed Abdul Malik Bajabu who was in detention at the United States’ Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. [File, Standard]

A Kenyan who has been in detention at the United States’ Guantanamo Bay in Cuba for nearly two decades after he was linked to terrorism arrived in Mombasa on Tuesday. 

Mohamed Abdul Malik Bajabu, the only Kenyan ever to be detained in US’ famous detention camp for terror suspects, spent 17 years in the camp. He was arrested in 2007 at Likoni in Mombasa and handed over to FBI detectives who moved him to Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan and later to Cuba.

US Department of Defense announced on Tuesday night that Bajabu had been handed over to the Kenya government after 17 years of being held without trial.

Bajabu was linked to the 2002 terrorist attack at Kikambala in Kilifi County where two Israel citizens were killed and nine injured.

Rajab Abdallah, a relative of Bajabu, yesterday confirmed to The Standard his arrival but said he could not talk to the media yet because he was still resting in a hotel in Mombasa.

“I am very happy he has arrived in Kenya but I want him to have a rest before going public,” said Rajab.

US department of defense indicated that the country’s Periodic Review Board (PRB), which is composed of six US Federal agencies met three years ago and unanimously resolved to have Bajabu sent back to Kenya “upon certain security assurances”.

They concluded that he was not a security threat to US.

“On December 27, 2021, the Periodic Review Board (PRB) process determined that continued detention of Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu (ISN 10025) was no longer necessary to protect against a continuing significant threat to the national security of the United States. The PRB recommended that Bajabu be transferred subject to appropriate security assurances,” the statement published on the Pentagon’s website read.

Reacting to the move by the US,  prisoners rights lobby, Reprieve, stated that it was unfair to keep him for three more years despite acknowledging he was no longer a person of interest to them.

Its deputy Executive Director Dan Dolan said that his release should have happened earlier. “The very least the US Government can do, having imprisoned Abdul Malik Bajabu without trial for 17 years, is ensure that this is truly an end to his ordeal and the beginning of a new life with his family,” he said.

Reprieve, in its statement, said Bajabu’s family had promised to assist him pick up his life after almost two decades in incarceration.

“Abdul Malik’s sister, a successful businesswoman, is ready and willing to assist him with getting on his feet. His half-sister who lives in Mombasa has also promised to support him. His main aim is to provide for his wife and for his three daughters, as they continue their education,” the statement read.

His lawyer Frank Panopoulos said the American government had “stolen” the best part of Bajabu’s life. He said the alleged evidence against him was obtained through torture.

“The US robbed an innocent man of the best years of his life, separating him from his wife and young children when they most needed him,” he said.

“His children, infants when he was tortured, interrogated and shipped to Guantánamo, are now grown up. That debt can never be repaid, but the least the US can do is ensure that Abdul Malik receives the support and the space he needs to begin his life anew,” he said.

Bajabu was arrested on February 18, 2007, Mombasa after he was suspected to have been among those who plotted a terrorist attack during world Cross Country Championship at Mama Ngina Drive in Mombasa.

Anti-terrorist police unit intelligence had linked him with Issa Osman Issa who was a Kenyan Al–Qaeda operative who was linked to attempted shooting of an Israel Airline at around 3am in Jomvu 15 years ago.

All suspects linked to terror attack at Mombasa Paradise and attempted shooting of Israel airline were arrested and charged but were all released.

Among politicians in the country who fought for Bajabu’s release is former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar who pleaded with President Barack Obama to release him.

Omar insisted that Bajabu was wrongly arrested and challenged the US government to charge him if he was involved in any terrorism.

Bajabu was born in Kaloleni, Kisumu before moving to Mombasa. In the 1990s, he left for Somalia. During his arrest on February 18, 2007 in Mombasa he was briefly held at the Port Police station before being transferred to Nairobi.

In Nairobi he was held at Karen, Hardy and Ongata Rongai Police stations before being flown to Bagram Airbase in Afghanistan and then Lemmonier camp in Djibouti  lastly at Guantanamo Bay under secrecy.

It took one month before the US announced his detention on March 26, 2007 where he remained until his release early this week.

His presence at Guantanamo Bay was only discovered after a US news agency obtained a court order compelling the US authorities to name all detainees at the detention camp in Cuba.