Govt yet to decide on future of 2 M’sians in Guantanamo - minister

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today said the government has yet to decide on whether two Malaysians detained over terrorism-related charges in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be kept under custody upon their repatriation.

Saifuddin, who reportedly met the US special representative for Guantanamo affairs Tina Kaidanow during his recent official visit to New York, said the government is still in initial discussions to seek the release of Mohammed Nazir Lep and Mohd Farik Amin.

“We have yet to reach that stage,” he told reporters when asked if the duo would be detained without trial under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.

“We only met with them and read profiles of their current status.

“We have yet to reach the stage where their feet have touched Malaysian soil. Still an early stage,” said Saifuddin after launching his ministry’s Madani programme at the Cheras Sports Complex.

He also declined further comments on criticisms of government efforts to repatriate alleged terrorists.

“You can ask who viewed them as terrorists. They were detained in 2003 and now is the year 2023. I’ve only been a minister for 10 months,” he said.

Nazir and Farik were among seven arrested over alleged involvement in the October 2002 bombings in Bali, Indonesia that killed 202 people, as well as the bombing at the JW Marriott Jakarta hotel in August 2003 that killed 12.

The duo was reportedly detained in Thailand in 2003 and transferred to US Central Intelligence Agency-operated black sites before being relocated to Guantanamo Bay in 2006.

After multiple delays in their trial, Singapore Straits Times reported last week that prosecutor George Kraehe recently proposed a trial date of March 2025.

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