Azem Guesthouse

American counter-terrorism analysts justified the continued extrajudicial detention of several Guantanamo captives, in part, because they were suspected of staying in the Azem guesthouses.

American analysts asserted that this guest house was in the Wazir Akbar Khan district of Kabul. American analysts describe this as an al Qaeda controlled district. Post invasion it is the district where foreign governments have their embassies.

American analysts asserted that this guest house was the Nibras guest house was used to billet recruits about to be trained at the Al Farouq training camp, and that the Azem guesthouse was used to house those who completed their training.

American analysts asserted that this guest house was managed by a trusted member of Osama bin Laden's inner circle named Hamza al-Ghamdi.

isn name allegations
26 Fahed Abdullah Ahmad Ghazi
  • Two of the allegations he faced during his first annual Administrative Review Board were:
  • The detainee stayed at the Azzam guesthouse in Kabul, Afghanistan for 35 days where he received additional training until the bombing started
  • Hamza al-Ghamdi ran the Azzam guesthouse in Kabul and in an intelligence agent who has been in Afghanistan for almost 15 years and has traveled to Bosnia and Chechnya for jihad. Hamza al Ghamdi is recognized as one of UBL’s most trusted people and reported directly to him.
  • Two of the allegations he faced during his second annual Administrative Review Board were
  • The detainee stated that after leaving al Farouq he was taken to Kabul, Afghanistan, and stayed at the Azzam guest house for approximately 35 days.
  • A source stated the Azzam guest house was run by one of Usama bin Laden's most trusted people who reported directly to Usama bin Laden. The Azzam guest house was used to house all types of people to include newly arrived people, fighters from the front lines, wounded people and Usama bin Laden's associates.
522 Yasin Qasem Muhammad Ismail
  • One of the allegations he faced was:
The detainee stated that he lived in the “Azam Afwan” guest house in the Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul during 11 September 2001 and that the cooks were all al Qaida.
576 Zahar Omar Hamis Bin Hamdoun
  • Three of the allegations he faced were:
  • The detainee states he stopped at a house called Madafa, known as the House of the Saudi Ambassador, located in Wazr Akbahr Khan, Shahree Nao, Afghanistan.
  • The Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Guest House is known as Azzam Guest House.
  • The Azzam Guest House is run by one of Usama bin Laden's most trusted people.
669 Ahmed Zaid Salim Zuhair
  • One of the allegations he faced was:
The detainee was seen on a flight from Yemen to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and then to Pakistan. He was also seen at the Nebras guesthouse and then in Kabul and at tha Azem guesthouse. He was identified as an old fighter who encouraged jihad.