Guantanamo DISASTER: 137 Terrorists Return to Killing

Intelligence reports confirm that 137 former Guantanamo Bay detainees have returned to terrorism after their release, validating conservative warnings about the reckless prisoner transfer policies of previous administrations.

Obama-Era Policies Created Security Nightmare

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence released damning data in June 2025 showing the catastrophic failure of detainee release programs. Of 739 prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay, 137 have been confirmed as reengaging in terrorism, with an additional 97 suspected of returning to militant activities. This represents an overall recidivism rate of 18.5%, a figure that should alarm every American concerned about national security. The facility originally housed 779 detainees captured during the War on Terror.

Former President Obama’s 2009 Executive Order 13492 accelerated detainee transfers in his misguided attempt to close Guantanamo entirely. While Obama claimed enhanced security measures, the underlying philosophy remained dangerously naive about the nature of Islamic terrorism. The Bush administration initiated releases but Obama dramatically expanded the program, prioritizing international opinion over American safety. These policies reflected the liberal delusion that terrorist ideology can be reformed through diplomatic engagement.

Recidivism Rates Expose Failed Liberal Theory

The data reveals a stark reality that conservatives predicted: terrorists released before enhanced protocols showed a staggering 22.9% recidivism rate compared to 7.2% for post-2009 releases. While officials tout the improvement, any recidivism among terrorists represents an unacceptable risk to American lives. Ibrahim al-Rubaysh exemplifies this failure—released from Guantanamo, he became an Al Qaeda leader warranting a $5 million bounty. Mullah Abdul Rauf similarly joined ISIS in Afghanistan after his release.

Academic studies attempt to minimize these figures by comparing them to general criminal recidivism, but this comparison is fundamentally flawed. Common criminals don’t plot mass casualty attacks or coordinate international terror networks. The liberal academic establishment’s 6.9% estimate contradicts intelligence community findings, reflecting their ideological bias against effective counterterrorism measures. These aren’t shoplifters or drug offenders—they’re committed jihadists whose recidivism can result in hundreds of deaths.

Biden’s Reckless Final Transfers

The Biden administration continued this dangerous pattern by transferring 11 Yemeni detainees to Oman in January 2025, just as Trump prepared to take office. Yemen remains a hotbed of Al Qaeda activity and civil war, making effective monitoring nearly impossible. This transfer appears designed to further Obama’s closure agenda rather than protect American interests. The timing suggests a deliberate attempt to constrain Trump’s counterterrorism options and advance the progressive narrative about American “overreach.”

Intelligence officials acknowledge that recidivism risks remain highest for transfers to unstable countries, yet the Biden administration proceeded anyway. Oman’s capacity to monitor former jihadists is questionable, and the regional chaos provides perfect cover for renewed terrorist activity. This decision embodies the liberal foreign policy establishment’s fundamental misunderstanding of the terrorist threat and their willingness to gamble with American security for ideological purposes.