The Department of Defense recently announced the transfer of three detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba back to their home countries of Malaysia and Kenya. Two Malaysians, Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep, were transferred following their guilty pleas before a military commission for offenses including murder and property destruction, violating the laws of war. Their plea agreement involved cooperation with the U.S. government, providing testimony against Encep Nurjaman, the alleged mastermind behind the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings and the 2003 Jakarta Marriott Hotel attack. Both received approximately five-year sentences and were recommended for repatriation or transfer to a third country to serve the remainder of their time.

The two Malaysians reportedly worked alongside Nurjaman, a leader of the al Qaeda-affiliated Jemaah Islamiya, for several years. Their involvement included aiding Nurjaman's escape following the Bali bombings, which claimed the lives of 202 people. Nurjaman remains in custody at Guantanamo, awaiting the resumption of pre-trial hearings in January. A Kenyan detainee, Mohammed Abdul Malik Bajabu, was also repatriated after 17 years of detention without charge. Apprehended in 2007, Bajabu was suspected of ties to an East African al Qaeda branch. The Pentagon determined his continued detention was no longer necessary to safeguard U.S. national security.

The U.S. expressed gratitude for the support in its efforts to reduce the detainee population at Guantanamo and eventually close the facility. Currently, 27 detainees remain: 15 eligible for transfer, 3 eligible for review, 7 involved in military commission proceedings, and 2 convicted and sentenced.