WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden engaged in a conversation on Sunday with the families of three Americans whom the U.S. government is trying to repatriate from Afghanistan; however, no consensus has been reached regarding a potential agreement for their return, according to statements made by family members.
During the call, Biden spoke with the relatives of Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmood Habibi, as negotiations continue in the final days of his administration. Officials are reportedly trying to arrange the release of these individuals in exchange for Muhammad Rahim, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay.
Corbett had been living in Afghanistan with his family when the U.S.-backed government collapsed in 2021. He was kidnapped by the Taliban while on a business trip in August 2022. Glezmann, who works as an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was apprehended by the Taliban’s intelligence agency in December of the same year while traveling in Afghanistan. Officials believe that both men remain in Taliban custody, along with Habibi, an Afghan American businessman who worked for a telecommunications firm in Kabul and also went missing in 2022. The FBI indicated that Habibi and his driver were seized alongside 29 other employees of the company; however, all except for Habibi and one other individual have been released.
The Taliban has denied holding Habibi, which adds another layer of complexity to negotiations with the U.S. government and the possibility of reaching a final agreement. During the Sunday call, President Biden assured the families that the U.S. would not agree to exchange Rahim—who has been held at Guantanamo since 2008—unless Habibi is released by the Taliban, according to statements made by Ahmad Habibi, Mahmood’s brother.
“President Biden was explicit in telling us that he would not trade Rahim if the Taliban do not facilitate my brother’s release,” the statement indicated. “He assured us that he would not abandon him. My family appreciates that he is advocating for my brother’s return.” However, Dennis Fitzpatrick, a lawyer representing Glezmann’s family, expressed frustration over the slow progress, stating, “President Biden and his national security adviser are opting to leave George Glezmann stranded in Afghanistan. A deal is on the table for his return. The White House’s inaction in this dire situation is inhumane.”
Ryan Fayhee, a lawyer for Corbett’s family, shared that they appreciated the President’s outreach yet urged him to act swiftly on the deal presented. “A proposal is now available, and the decision to accept it—flawed as it may be—solely rests with the President,” Fayhee noted. “Difficult decisions characterize great leadership, and we trust that President Biden will not let the pursuit of perfection impede the rescue of American lives.” The White House confirmed the call with the families, announcing that they discussed ongoing efforts by the U.S. government to reunite the three Americans with their relatives. The President reiterated his administration’s dedication to securing the release of Americans unrightfully detained abroad.
If progress isn’t made by January 20, the responsibility for negotiations may rest with the incoming Trump administration, although it remains uncertain whether the new officials would adopt a different strategy regarding the release of Guantanamo detainees designated as dangerous.
Currently, only 15 men remain at Guantanamo, a significant decrease from nearly 800 during President George W. Bush’s term. Rahim is among three remaining detainees who have never been charged or evaluated as safe for transfer to other countries, as was the case with hundreds of other individuals detained without charges.
The U.S. government has indicated that Rahim served as an advisor and courier for Osama bin Laden and other prominent al-Qaida leaders, posing an ongoing threat to national security, even though no charges have been filed against him in his 17 years at Guantanamo. Successive administrations have kept details regarding Rahim’s case highly classified, which is unusual even within the context of military detention practices at Guantanamo.
Security reviews conducted by case-review panels have consistently identified him as a persistent threat. A typical assessment from 2019 remarked on his “extensive extremist connections” that could lead to re-engagement should he be released. The report stated that Rahim had not adequately answered inquiries about his past or indicated any intentions of adopting a peaceful disposition.
Rahim’s attorney pointed out that the U.S. has been “systematically silencing” him, arguing that every statement he makes is treated as classified in the interest of national security. In a prior instance, the Biden administration orchestrated a swap of a convicted Taliban drug lord for an American civilian contractor held captive by the Taliban for over two years.