While some reporters repeat descriptions offered by U.S. intelligence officials that the camp was an al-Qaeda training camp, other reporters note that the camp was set up during the
Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, with the support of the
Central Intelligence Agency.[2][3][4] Having attended one of these camps has triggered suspicion for many of the detainees in the
War on Terror. The Khalden training camp was led by
Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi, who was captured in late 2001.[5]
Ahmed Ressam, the Millennium Bomber, said he attended the camp using the alias "Nabil", beginning in April 1998 for five to six months.[6][7] He said Khalden Camp then generally hosted 50–100 trainees at any time, and he trained there in light weapons,
handguns, small
machine guns,
rocket-propelled grenade launchers (RPGs), explosives (including
TNT,
C4plastic explosives, and black plastic explosives), poisons (including
cyanide),
poison gas, sabotage, target selection,
urban warfare, tactics (including assassinations), and security.[6][7][8] Trainees were from Jordan, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Chechnya, Turkey, Sweden, Germany, and France.[6] During the time he was there, he met
Zacarias Moussaoui.[7][8]
Zubaydah testified in his
Combatant Status Review Tribunal (CSRT) that the Khalden Camp was at such odds with al-Qaeda and bin Laden that it was closed by the Taliban in 2000, at bin Laden's request.[9] This account was corroborated by two other detainees,
Noor Uthman Muhammed, alleged by the U.S. Government to have been the emir, or leader, of the Khalden Camp; and
Khalid Sulayman Jaydh Al Hubayshi, a close friend of Zubaydah.[10][11] In addition, Muhammed's charge sheet refers to the closing of the Khalden camp at the request of terrorist leaders.[14]
Brynjar Lia wrote in his 2008 book that an ideological conflict, between the leaders of the Khalden Camp and the Taliban and al-Qaeda, led to the closing of the Khalden Camp.[13] Zubaydah, Khalid Sulayman Jaydh Al Hubayshi, and Noor Uthman Muhammed confirmed this divide in their CSRT testimony.[9][10][11] Of the 57 detainees the U.S. Government claims are associated with the Khalden Camp, 27 have been released, including Zubaydah's friend Al Hubayshi.[15]
Doğu Türkistan Bülteni Haber Ajansı, which is the Turkish media arm of the Uyghur
Turkistan Islamic Party, wrote a biography on one of their members, Garib (Asadullah) Turkistani in 1997 who went to Pakistan, was tutored by
Abdullah Azzam in religious learning in camp Khalden in order to join the Taliban because he wanted Shariah. He moved to Kabul to enlist in the Mujahideen. He became part of Liwa al Ansar and was injured in a car accident while fleeing the American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. He died while fighting against American troops who they called "Crusaders".[16]
The Uyghur
Turkistan Islamic Party's "Islamic Turkistan" magazine in its 5th edition published an obituary of its member Turghun (Ibn Umar al Turkistani) speaking of his time training at the
Al Khaldan training camp and his meeting with
Ibn al-Shaykh al-Libi. The Uyghurs in Afghanistan fought against the American bombing and the Northern Alliance after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Ibn Umar died fighting against Americans at
Qala-i-Jangi that month.[17][18]
Individuals alleged to have attended the Khalden training camp
Algerian terrorist, kidnapper, smuggler, and weapons dealer sentenced to death in absentia in his home country twice
Now heads the Al-Mulatahemeen ("Masked") Brigade (also known as the al-Mua'qi'oon Biddam ("Those who Sign with Blood") Brigade), which took hundreds of people hostage in the
In Aménas hostage crisis in January 2013
One of the allegations against Riyad Bil Mohammed Tahir Nasseri was: "The detainee received military training at the
Derunta camp [sic] in
Jalalabad, Afghanistan and
Khaldan camp [sic] near
Khowst [sic] Afghanistan."
One of the factors favoring Ridah Bin Saleh Al Yazidi's continued detention was: "The detainee said he was provided with a letter of introduction for admission to the Khalden Training Camp. The detainee traveled to Afghanistan using a forged passport. The detainee traveled to
Khost, Afghanistan via Switzerland, Islamabad, Pakistan and Jalalabad, Afghanistan."
One of the allegations against Hisham Sliti was: "The detainee received training on the use of light arms at the
Khaldan Camp near the
Khowst [sic] Province, and the
Derunta Camp in
Jalalabad."
One of the allegations against Riyad Bil Mohamme Tahir Nasseri was: "The detainee received military training at the
Derunta camp [sic] in
Jalalabad, Afghanistan and
Khaldan camp [sic] near
Khowst [sic] Afghanistan."
One of the factors favoring the continued detention of Umar Abdullah Al Kunduzi was: "The detainee and others were led out of the Tora Bora region by the leader of the Khalden training camp, who has been linked to
Usama Bin Laden,
Abu Zubaydah and several other major al Qaida leaders."
One of the allegations against Idris Ahmed Abdu Qader Idris was: "The detainee ###############, voluntarily traveled from Italy to
Afghanistan in May 1999 to attend the
Khaldan training camp."
One of the factors favoring Lufti Bin Ali's continued detention was: "The detainee was identified by a senior al Qaida lieutenant as having studied at the
Khaldan camp in 1998 or 1999."
One of the allegations against Faiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari was: "The detainee later traveled into Afghanistan and received weapons training at the
Khaldan training camp.
Usama Bin Laden personally provided religious instruction and trainee [sic] at this camp."
One of the factors favoring Faiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari's continued detention was: "The detainee traveled to the Khalden training camp in Afghanistan where he received weapons training on the
Kalashnikov, Dusaka (AKA Docka), Grinov, BKC automatic rifles, and
RPGs, and anti-aircraft guns. Usama Bin Laden provided religious instruction and gave advice and encouragement to the Jihadists."
^
abcU.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (February 2, 2010).
"U.S. v. Ressam"(PDF). Archived from
the original(PDF) on October 4, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2010.