[JURIST] An Afghan terror suspect has been transferred to Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive], the US Department of Defense (DOD) announced [press release] Wednesday. Known only as Inayatullah, DOD said the detainee has admitted to being the head of al-Qaeda operations in Zahedan, Iran, and to orchestrating al-Qaeda terrorist attacks. DOD indicated that Inayatullah's status will be determined by a combatant status review tribunal [DOD materials], and that the International Committee of the Red Cross [advocacy website] will be granted access to him while he is detained. Including Inayatullah, there are approximately 340 detainees currently at Guantanamo.

The Defense Department says that approximately 80 detainees at Guantanamo are currently eligible to be transferred off the base, and the terms of their departure are the focus of ongoing discussions between the US and the detainees' home nations. In early September, 16 Saudi detainees were transferred [JURIST report] back to Saudi Arabia. In August, six detainees were transferred [JURIST report] to their home countries of Bahrain and Afghanistan.