In a recent conversation, President Joe Biden reached out to the families of three Americans that the U.S. government is endeavoring to bring back from Afghanistan, although an agreement for their return has yet to be established, according to family representatives.
During Biden’s call with relatives of Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmoud Habibi, discussions revolved around ongoing negotiations for a potential deal that could facilitate their return. This deal is reportedly contingent on the release of Muhammad Rahim, who remains one of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Corbett, who was living in Afghanistan with his family when the U.S.-backed government fell in 2021, was kidnapped by the Taliban while on a business trip in August 2022. Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was captured by Taliban intelligence agents in December 2022 as he traveled through the nation. Authorities believe that both Corbett and Glezmann are still held by the Taliban, alongside Habibi, a businessman with Afghan-American roots who went missing in 2022 while working with a telecommunications company in Kabul. The FBI has indicated that Habibi was taken along with a group of employees but only he and one other individual have yet to be released.
The Taliban has denied having Habibi, which complicates negotiations with U.S. officials and hinders the possibility of a completed agreement.
In a statement, the White House confirmed the call took place and mentioned that Biden emphasized his administration’s dedication to reuniting these Americans with their loved ones, also stating the president’s commitment to address issues concerning hostages and wrongful detentions overseas.
During the conversation, Biden made it clear that a trade for Rahim would not be considered unless the Taliban agrees to release Habibi, as stated by Ahmad Habibi, the brother of Mahmoud. “He stated firmly that he would not negotiate Rahim’s release until my brother was freed,” Ahmad said, expressing gratitude for Biden’s stance on the matter.
However, Dennis Fitzpatrick, an attorney representing Glezmann’s family, expressed concern over Biden’s approach, claiming, “President Biden and his national security advisor are opting to leave George Glezmann stranded in Afghanistan. A deal exists that could secure his return. The inaction from the White House in this context feels inhumane.” A spokesperson for the White House has not yet responded to his comments.
Ryan Fayhee, another attorney representing Corbett’s relatives, appreciated Biden’s outreach but urged for decisive action regarding the deal on the table. “The choice to accept this deal, however imperfect, lies solely with the President,” Fayhee stated. “Significant decisions define great leadership, and we trust that President Biden won’t allow the pursuit of perfection to overshadow the urgency of saving American lives.”
If no agreement is reached before January 20, the responsibility for further negotiations would shift to the incoming administration, led by former President Trump. It remains to be seen whether they would adopt a different strategy concerning the release of a Guantanamo detainee deemed a risk.
Currently, 15 men are held at Guantanamo, significantly reduced from the nearly 800 inmates at the peak during George W. Bush’s presidency. Rahim is one of only three detainees who have not been charged but are also considered too dangerous to be released, a classification that has stymied efforts to transfer him, unlike many other Muslim detainees.
U.S. officials have labeled Rahim as a close advisor and operative for Osama bin Laden as well as other al-Qaida leaders, asserting he continues to pose a threat to national security, despite the absence of formal charges or clear evidence against him during his prolonged detention. His attorney, James Connell, recently contended at a U.N. human rights committee meeting that Rahim is being effectively silenced by the U.S., indicating that any statements he makes are classified under national security.
In September 2022, the Biden administration successfully negotiated the exchange of a convicted Taliban drug lord for an American contractor who had been held captive by the Taliban for two years.
