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| For Swapped Taliban Prisoners From Guantanamo Bay, Few Doors to Exit Qatar | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — Two of them are accused of mass murders. Another defended the killings of foreigners. One has been described by the United States military as an opium drug lord and an associate of Osama bin Laden. Another was a top official in the feared intelligence service of the Taliban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar. | KABUL, Afghanistan — Two of them are accused of mass murders. Another defended the killings of foreigners. One has been described by the United States military as an opium drug lord and an associate of Osama bin Laden. Another was a top official in the feared intelligence service of the Taliban leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar. |
| These are the Guantánamo prisoners who were swapped for the freedom of the only American soldier taken prisoner by the Taliban, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Under the deal, the four senior Taliban members and a lower level official were released last June to Qatar on the condition that they remain in the country for a year. | These are the Guantánamo prisoners who were swapped for the freedom of the only American soldier taken prisoner by the Taliban, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Under the deal, the four senior Taliban members and a lower level official were released last June to Qatar on the condition that they remain in the country for a year. |
| That travel ban on the men was set to expire Sunday, prompting fears among some in the United States that the men might slip away and reappear on the battlefield. | That travel ban on the men was set to expire Sunday, prompting fears among some in the United States that the men might slip away and reappear on the battlefield. |
| But there appeared to be little likelihood that the former Taliban insurgents would be traveling soon as American officials pressed for an extension of the ban and no countries appeared eager to let them in. | But there appeared to be little likelihood that the former Taliban insurgents would be traveling soon as American officials pressed for an extension of the ban and no countries appeared eager to let them in. |
| A senior United States official confirmed Sunday that negotiations were underway with Qatari officials that could possibly lead to a six-month extension of the travel ban. Late Sunday, Qatar “agreed to maintain the current restrictive conditions” on the five men while discussions continued, a State Department official in Washington said on the condition of anonymity. | A senior United States official confirmed Sunday that negotiations were underway with Qatari officials that could possibly lead to a six-month extension of the travel ban. Late Sunday, Qatar “agreed to maintain the current restrictive conditions” on the five men while discussions continued, a State Department official in Washington said on the condition of anonymity. |
| The prisoner swap has been controversial in Washington, with leading Republicans criticizing President Obama for the deal, which they viewed as a violation of a law requiring Congress to be informed in advance of Guantánamo prisoner releases. | The prisoner swap has been controversial in Washington, with leading Republicans criticizing President Obama for the deal, which they viewed as a violation of a law requiring Congress to be informed in advance of Guantánamo prisoner releases. |
| Sergeant Bergdahl was held by the Taliban for nearly five years and was the subject of protracted negotiations for his release. Now he is accused of deserting to the insurgents and also of misconduct that endangered his unit; he faces a preliminary hearing on those charges on July 8, but remains on active duty at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas. | Sergeant Bergdahl was held by the Taliban for nearly five years and was the subject of protracted negotiations for his release. Now he is accused of deserting to the insurgents and also of misconduct that endangered his unit; he faces a preliminary hearing on those charges on July 8, but remains on active duty at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas. |
| Criticism of the deal to free Sergeant Bergdahl, especially in exchange for such prominent Taliban figures, grew after the Army revealed the charges against him. “The Obama administration put countless American troops and civilians at risk when it chose to ignore the law and unilaterally release five senior Taliban terrorists from Guantánamo Bay,” said Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, in a statement issued by his office on Friday. “Now these five will be free to travel.” | Criticism of the deal to free Sergeant Bergdahl, especially in exchange for such prominent Taliban figures, grew after the Army revealed the charges against him. “The Obama administration put countless American troops and civilians at risk when it chose to ignore the law and unilaterally release five senior Taliban terrorists from Guantánamo Bay,” said Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, in a statement issued by his office on Friday. “Now these five will be free to travel.” |
| However, United Nations officials have yet to lift their own international travel bans on four of them, so the only place they could legally travel to is their home country, Afghanistan, where government officials have made it clear they would promptly be taken into custody. | However, United Nations officials have yet to lift their own international travel bans on four of them, so the only place they could legally travel to is their home country, Afghanistan, where government officials have made it clear they would promptly be taken into custody. |
| A second senior American official in Washington said last week that Qatari officials were eager to see the five men leave their country. The only possible route for them to take would be to Pakistan, which would cause a political problem between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which lately have sought to mend relations. | A second senior American official in Washington said last week that Qatari officials were eager to see the five men leave their country. The only possible route for them to take would be to Pakistan, which would cause a political problem between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which lately have sought to mend relations. |
| In addition to American concerns, Afghan officials have also expressed unease about the possibility of the former prisoners returning to fight. | In addition to American concerns, Afghan officials have also expressed unease about the possibility of the former prisoners returning to fight. |
| “It would be a matter of great concern if they return to the battlefield,” said a senior security official in Kabul on Sunday. “We have seen that in the past, that Taliban members who were freed returned to the battlefield. Their unconditional freedom can add fuel to the fire and can boost Taliban morale.” | “It would be a matter of great concern if they return to the battlefield,” said a senior security official in Kabul on Sunday. “We have seen that in the past, that Taliban members who were freed returned to the battlefield. Their unconditional freedom can add fuel to the fire and can boost Taliban morale.” |
| Underscoring the concern in the United States about the former detainees is the view that the trade was an unequal one: Four are depicted in reports by the United Nations sanctions committee and by American military interrogators as major figures with blood on their hands. | Underscoring the concern in the United States about the former detainees is the view that the trade was an unequal one: Four are depicted in reports by the United Nations sanctions committee and by American military interrogators as major figures with blood on their hands. |
| The five include a one-time Taliban spokesman, Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa, who was also a minister of internal affairs in the Taliban government, and was implicated in the massacre of Shiite civilians. Mullah Mohammad Fazl, a former deputy army chief of staff for the Taliban, was accused of carrying out massacres of Hazara civilians, and was also described as one of the founders of the Taliban, along with Mullah Omar. | The five include a one-time Taliban spokesman, Khirullah Said Wali Khairkhwa, who was also a minister of internal affairs in the Taliban government, and was implicated in the massacre of Shiite civilians. Mullah Mohammad Fazl, a former deputy army chief of staff for the Taliban, was accused of carrying out massacres of Hazara civilians, and was also described as one of the founders of the Taliban, along with Mullah Omar. |
| An American military interrogator said Mullah Fazl justified the killings as a wartime necessity, and also dismissed the killings of Iranian diplomats in Herat on the grounds that they were foreigners and supported the enemy. Mullah Norullah Noori was a former provincial governor accused of responsibility in the killing of thousands of Shiites during the Taliban rule. Abdul Haq Wasiq was the former deputy intelligence director under Mullah Omar. Those four are all under United Nations sanctions, including a travel ban, and the complex procedure of lifting such a ban has not yet been started by the Security Council because no member country has made the request needed to do so. | An American military interrogator said Mullah Fazl justified the killings as a wartime necessity, and also dismissed the killings of Iranian diplomats in Herat on the grounds that they were foreigners and supported the enemy. Mullah Norullah Noori was a former provincial governor accused of responsibility in the killing of thousands of Shiites during the Taliban rule. Abdul Haq Wasiq was the former deputy intelligence director under Mullah Omar. Those four are all under United Nations sanctions, including a travel ban, and the complex procedure of lifting such a ban has not yet been started by the Security Council because no member country has made the request needed to do so. |
| The fifth, lesser-known figure, is Mohammad Nabi Omari, a suspected associate of the Haqqani network, allies of the Taliban who supply the bulk of the insurgents’ suicide bombers, mostly young men indoctrinated at madrasas in Pakistan. | The fifth, lesser-known figure, is Mohammad Nabi Omari, a suspected associate of the Haqqani network, allies of the Taliban who supply the bulk of the insurgents’ suicide bombers, mostly young men indoctrinated at madrasas in Pakistan. |
| Republican leaders in Washington have alleged that some of the former prisoners have already made contact with their former comrades, suggesting that they were planning to return to the fight. | Republican leaders in Washington have alleged that some of the former prisoners have already made contact with their former comrades, suggesting that they were planning to return to the fight. |
| There are abundant examples of former Guantánamo prisoners who have returned to the Afghan battlefield, but a recent example is particularly significant. Ghulam Rouhani, released in 2007, is now the Taliban commander in the Khogyani District, in Ghazni. The insurgents claimed the district center fell to their control last week, but government officials disputed that, saying they had simply moved the government offices to another town. | There are abundant examples of former Guantánamo prisoners who have returned to the Afghan battlefield, but a recent example is particularly significant. Ghulam Rouhani, released in 2007, is now the Taliban commander in the Khogyani District, in Ghazni. The insurgents claimed the district center fell to their control last week, but government officials disputed that, saying they had simply moved the government offices to another town. |
| So far, Qatari officials have kept a tight rein on the former prisoners. Last fall, two suspected insurgent figures went to visit one of the five former detainees in Qatar, Mohammad Nabi Omari. According to senior security officials in Afghanistan, the Afghan intelligence agency, in cooperation with Qatari intelligence, arrested the two men and brought them to Kabul, where they remain in custody. The two included Anas Haqqani, a brother of the leader of the Haqqani network, part of the Taliban insurgency, and Qari Abdul Rashid Omari, the brother of the former Guantánamo prisoner, Mr. Omari. | So far, Qatari officials have kept a tight rein on the former prisoners. Last fall, two suspected insurgent figures went to visit one of the five former detainees in Qatar, Mohammad Nabi Omari. According to senior security officials in Afghanistan, the Afghan intelligence agency, in cooperation with Qatari intelligence, arrested the two men and brought them to Kabul, where they remain in custody. The two included Anas Haqqani, a brother of the leader of the Haqqani network, part of the Taliban insurgency, and Qari Abdul Rashid Omari, the brother of the former Guantánamo prisoner, Mr. Omari. |
| At least one of the five men, Mr. Wasiq, may not be in any hurry to return to his comrades, at least not if the Taliban believe interrogation reports unearthed by WikiLeaks on Mr. Wasiq. They say the former intelligence chief offered to turn on his boss and help the Americans find Mullah Omar, even offering to carry a GPS tracking device to the reclusive leader. “Detainee appears to be resentful of being apprehended while he claimed he was working for U.S. and coalition forces to find Mullah Omar,” his interrogator wrote. | At least one of the five men, Mr. Wasiq, may not be in any hurry to return to his comrades, at least not if the Taliban believe interrogation reports unearthed by WikiLeaks on Mr. Wasiq. They say the former intelligence chief offered to turn on his boss and help the Americans find Mullah Omar, even offering to carry a GPS tracking device to the reclusive leader. “Detainee appears to be resentful of being apprehended while he claimed he was working for U.S. and coalition forces to find Mullah Omar,” his interrogator wrote. |