Republicans are getting quite an “I told you so” moment—because one of the dangerous terrorists that Obama released from Guantanamo Bay is now the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
According to the Long War Journal, which first broke the story last week, former Guantanamo Bay inmate Ibrahim Qosi has been quite active in terrorism circles since he was released by Obama in 2012:
“Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a new video featuring a former Guantanamo detainee, Ibrahim Qosi, who is also known as Sheikh Khubayb al Sudani.”
“In July 2010, Qosi plead guilty to charges of conspiracy and material support for terrorism before a military commission. His plea was part of a deal in which he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors during his remaining time in US custody. Qosi was transferred to his home country of Sudan two years later, in July 2012.”
“Qosi joined AQAP in 2014 and became one of its leaders. Qosi and other AQAP commanders discussed their time waging jihad at length in the video, entitled ‘Guardians of Sharia.’”
Qosi was first captured in 2001, and spent nearly thirteen years in U.S. military custody at Guantanamo Bay.
His 2010 guilty plea was instrumental in getting him out of prison, and back on the battle field—in part because of President Barack Obama’s ambitions to shut down the infamous terrorist prison.
At the time, Qosi was being released into a Sudanese “re-integration program” that the Obama White House believed would keep him from slipping back into terrorism.
“One of the main reasons the United States was willing to return him to [his native] Sudan was the U.S. confidence in the government of Sudan’s program and its confidence that Mr. al-Qosi would not represent any kind of threat to the United States.” said Qosi’s lawyer. “If they had considered him a threat, they would not have released him.”
Now, he’s following directly in Osama bin Laden’s footsteps—and leading the influential and lethal terrorist group.
Worse, Qosi may not be the last terrorist to “re-offend.” Obama’s Secretary of Defense, Ashton Carter, is considering the release of as many as 17 terrorists from Guantanamo Bay—and it’s likely that they could all take up arms against the United States, as soon as their allowed.
