Freed Guantanamo detainees flown via Findel

(JB) Luxembourg offered Findel airport as a landing pad for newly released detainees from the notorious Guantanamo bay prison, a leaked report has revealed.

According to the classified document, which was made public via the Wikileaks website, Luxembourg had given the US government carte blanche to fly freed detainees through the country's airport.

The information was confirmed on Sunday by foreign affairs minister Jean Asselborn, who clarified that the agreement only concerned freed prisoners and no detainees had been flown to Luxembourg prior to being held at the Cuban prison.

The leaked report dates back to October 22, 2009, and refers to a meeting between Mr Asselborn, leader Jean-Claude Juncker and the former US secretary of state Madeleine Albright.

Mr Juncker reportedly told Ms Albright that his party was strictly against welcoming a former camp detainee. However, he said that Luxembourg was willing to assist in the financial and logistical support for detainees once released.

In addition, Mr Asselborn confirmed at a later date that Findel could be used by the US as a stop-over for flights transporting freed detainees. He said during an interview with radio station DNR: “When the Americans asked us if we would be OK if planes contained freed detainees stopped in Luxembourg to refuel, I said yes. It's natural.”

The leak follows information released last year on the same site, which suggested that Luxembourg had entered discussions about welcoming a former Yemeni detainee from the prison camp.

In addition, ministers had also met with former detainee and activist British Pakistani Moazzam Begg in order to discuss the matter further.

Despite this, any plans to welcome a former detainee were later dropped by Luxembourg when the US decided not to release further Yemeni detainees.