Family of 9/11 victim outraged at Biden transfer of Gitmo detainees: ‘Haven’t heard the last’ of them
The family of a 9/11 victim is sounding off after the Biden administration transferred five Guantanamo Bay detainees to a third country, calling the move “backwards” and “appalling.”
Amy Lent, whose late husband was killed in the 9/11 attacks, said she and other family members are “outraged” by the development, which they believe puts national security at risk.
“It’s absolutely backstabbing to the families of those who were killed that day,” Lent said. “These terrorists are being released back into society, and we’re left to deal with the consequences. It’s not right.”
The five detainees transferred from Guantanamo have been identified as Abdul Latif Nasser, Mohammed Bawazir, Muhsin Salim, Faysal Jaber, and Waheed al-Harami. They were all held at the detention facility in Cuba since 2002, and were cleared for transfer by the Obama administration but were not.
Lent, who testified before Congress in 2019, said she doesn’t think the new detainees’ transfer will be the last, adding, “Haven’t heard the last of these people. Mark my words, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are going to be more terrorists released back onto the battlefield, and we’re going to have to deal with the consequences.”
She’s calling on Congress to take action to rein in the administration, saying, “We need to make sure that our government is doing everything in their power to protect Americans, rather than releasing terrorists onto the street. It’s our job to hold them accountable and make sure they understand the gravity of what’s happening here.”
The moves come amid escalating concerns about the administration’s handling of national security and terrorism issues, with some critics arguing that its plans for Gitmo are “ill-conceived” and “reckless.”
“It’s just a signal to the terrorists out there that the United States is weak and doesn’t care about national security,” Lent said. “It’s a terrible message to send to our enemies and a terrible way to treat the families who have been impacted by terrorism. It’s a slap in the face to all of us who have been affected by these heinous crimes.”