Two Gitmo detainees sent to Portugal

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Justice says the Portuguese government has assumed control of two Guantanamo Bay detainees.


The Department of Justice said in a release that two Syrian nationals were transferred to Portugal from the U.S. detention facility in Cuba via an arrangement between the U.S. and Portuguese governments.

The U.S. government, which ensured all necessary security measures were in place for the detainee transfer, will maintain contact with Portugal regarding the two detainees, the department said. The prisoners' names and suspected crimes were not reported.

The detainee transfer was authorized by the Guantanamo Review Task Force and the U.S. Congress was made aware of the transfer plan, the Department of Justice said.

The two prisoners mark the most recent detainee transfer involving Guantanamo Bay prisoners. More than 540 Guantanamo Bay detainees have been transferred to various countries worldwide since 2002. Less than 250 remain at the detention center, various news outlets say.