Biden administration asks federal appeals court to block 9/11 plea deals
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The controversial deal would spare Mohammed from the death penalty for his role in planning the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
The deadly attack rocked the U.S. and began the war on terrorism.
In court filings Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Justice Department argued the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”
However, attorneys for the defendants argued the deal was already legally in effect and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.
Mohammed is set to enter his guilty plea on Friday, Jan. 10, if the appeal is not granted. His co-defendants, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, are due to enter theirs next week.
Pentagon transfers 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Oman
The Pentagon said it transferred 11 Yemeni detainees, including two former bodyguards for Osama Bin Laden, from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to Oman, which has agreed to help re-settle them. The U.S. never charged the Yemeni detainees with crimes.
The move comes amid steps to reduce the population at the controversial U.S. military facility. Only 15 detainees remain at Guantánamo Bay’s detention facility, which the U.S. set up when the war on terror began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Of the 15 current detainees, only three are eligible for transfer. The Pentagon said three detainees are eligible for a periodic review and seven are involved in the military commissions process.
The U.S. convicted and sentenced two detainees.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration transferred four other detainees from Guantánamo, including one brought to the detention facility the day it opened in 2002. The U.S. never formally charged that person.
The move follows a recent decision by a military judge that sparked outrage. The judge ruled plea agreements with 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and two other accused terrorists are valid and binding. Those deals take the death penalty off the table for the three men, who also remain at Guantánamo Bay.
At least 95 killed in 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Tibet
A powerful earthquake proves deadly in East Asia on Tuesday morning. And winter weather pounds the United States from the Great Plains to the East Coast. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
7.1 magnitude earthquake kills at least 95 in Tibet
At least 95 people are dead Tuesday after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake rocked Tibet, China, according to Chinese state media. The quake occurred just after 9 a.m. on Jan. 7 near Shigatse, one of Tibet’s holiest cities.
The quake reached a depth of 6.2 miles, damaging buildings and sending people running to the streets in neighboring Nepal and India. Cities as far away as Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city about 240 miles away, felt tremors.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at a magnitude of 7.1, while the China Earthquake Networks Center reported it at 6.8. Multiple aftershocks followed the initial quake.
In addition to the dozens of lives lost, local authorities said the disaster injured at least 130 people.
First winter storm of 2025 leaves at least 4 dead across multiple states
The system moved east on Monday, Jan. 6, from the Great Plains to the East Coast. It brought snow, blizzard conditions and ice. The storm hit cities like Kansas City and Cincinnati the hardest.
Authorities said a public works employee in Missouri suffered a fatal injury while working to remove snow. Two people in Wichita, Kansas, died in a weather-related crash, and one person in Houston, Texas, most likely died as a result of the cold weather, according to local authorities.
The storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes across at least a half-dozen states.
While the heavy snow ended, the danger remained. Forecasters said the winter system is drawing cold air behind it, meaning states across the entire U.S. will experience a cold front.
Pentagon transfers 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantánamo Bay to Oman
The Pentagon said the U.S. transferred 11 Yemeni detainees to Oman, which agreed to help re-settle them. Two of the detainees are former bodyguards for Osama Bin Laden and were being held at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba.
None of the 11 detainees released were charged with crimes.
The move comes amid steps to reduce the population at the controversial U.S. military facility. Only 15 detainees remain at Guantánamo Bay’s detention facility, which the U.S. set up as the war on terror began after Sept. 11, 2001.
Of the 15 current detainees, only three are eligible for transfer. Three more are eligible for a periodic review, seven are involved in the military commissions process and two detainees were convicted and sentenced by military commissions.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration transferred four other detainees from Guantánamo, including one brought to the detention facility the day it opened in 2002. That person was never formally charged.
The move follows a recent ruling by a military judge that plea agreements with alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and two other accused terrorists are valid and binding. Those deals take the death penalty off the table for the three men, who remain at Guantánamo Bay.
Biden attends memorial service for New Orleans terror attack victims
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden attended a memorial service Monday, Jan. 6, for the 14 victims killed in the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans. The interfaith prayer service was held at the famous St. Louis Cathedral in the city’s French Quarter, less than a mile away from the scene of the Bourbon Street terror attack.
Jill and I traveled to New Orleans to stand with a community defined by strength and resilience.
To grieve. To pray. And let them know that America stands with them, and mourns with them. pic.twitter.com/26Phe203WF
The president spoke at the service, reassuring the people of New Orleans they are not alone and highlighting the city’s enduring strength and resilience amid tragedy. He referred to past devastation experienced by the city, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“If there’s one thing we know: New Orleans defines strength and resilience,” the president said. “You define it, whether it’s in the form of this attack, from this attack, or hurricanes or super storms. This city’s people get back up.”
The president and first lady also visited the Bourbon Street memorial, where they placed flowers and prayed for the victims.
While in New Orleans, the Bidens met privately with grieving families, survivors and first responders.
Though both cases were dismissed, the special counsel is required to provide a report to Garland, who can then decide whether to make it public.
According to the letter and a legal filing, Trump’s lawyers and two former co-defendants in the documents case viewed a two-volume draft copy of the report over the weekend. They called the report “one-sided” and “slanted.”
In the letter, Trump’s lawyer requested Garland fire Smith, who is set to resign before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, or let the decision on the release of the report be handled by Trump’s incoming attorney general, Pam Bondi.
The lawyers for Trump’s two former co-defendants in the documents case also asked the judge who dismissed the case to halt the report’s release, citing her ruling that Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional.
While it is not clear when the report will be released, the lawyers have asked the judge for a hearing on their request by Friday, Jan. 10, believing the release is “imminent.”
‘Shark Tank’ star Kevin O’Leary announces bid to buy TikTok
With millions of social media users counting down TikTok’s days in the U.S., one businessman is looking to prevent the ban from taking effect. “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary issued a press release Monday announcing his interest in purchasing TikTok.
O’Leary — known by “Shark Tank” fans as “Mr. Wonderful” — said he is partnering with former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on the bid.
Speaking to Fox Business, O’Leary said he would need Trump’s help to seal the deal. O’Leary said he’s “protecting the privacy of 170 million American users” and “empowering creators and small businesses.”
TikTok faces a federal ban on Jan. 19 unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells. The Biden administration and other federal lawmakers believe TikTok threatens national security, accusing the Chinese government of using it to spy on Americans. Lawmakers fear the app is being used to weaponize and influence content Americans view.
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments from ByteDance on why it should prevent the ban.
US releases Guantánamo prisoner held without charge for more than 20 years
The Pentagon revealed Monday, Dec. 30, that it’s releasing one of the longest-held prisoners at the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay in Cuba. Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi of Tunisia sat in the prison for more than 20 years without ever being charged with a crime.
The Biden administration said al-Yazidi, who is now 59 years old, was eligible to transfer after a review process.
He had been at Guantánamo since the day former President George W. Bush opened the prison camp in 2002 and was accused of being a member of al-Qaida, but never charged.
According to Human Rights First, he had been eligible for transfer since 2007 by former Presidents Bush and Barack Obama. However, a deal was never reached.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Congress he supported al-Yazidi’s repatriation to Tunisia earlier this year.
The Biden administration has faced growing pressure to clear the camp of remaining men who haven’t been charged before President-elect Donald Trump takes over next month.
The Defense Department says that 14 of the remaining 26 detainees at Guantánamo are eligible for transfer.
Al-Yazidi is the fourth detainee in two weeks to be released from the prison.
US releases Guantanamo Bay detainees as government works to close facility
The Department of Defense has released three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, a U.S. military prison in Cuba, after they spent several years in confinement. One is headed to Kenya while the other two will serve more time in a Malaysian prison for their roles in suspected terrorist attacks.
The two played a part in deadly bombings in Bali back in the early 2000s. The Malaysian detainees worked for the leader of an Al-Qaeda affiliate.
This week, the Pentagon announced Mohammed Farik bin Amin and Mohammed Nazir bin Lep pled guilty to conspiracy, intent to cause serious bodily injury and other charges in January 2024.
Those agreements include testimonies against Encep Nurjaman. U.S. prosecutors said Nurjaman ran the Southeast Asian terrorist organization behind the Bali bombings in 2002. The attack killed 202 people at two tourist spots, including 88 Australians and seven Americans.
U.S. officials said the two Malaysian men have been held at the Naval base in Cuba since 2006. Prosecutors approved the transfer to their home country.
“The Convening Authority approved sentences of confinement for approximately five years for each and recommended that both men be repatriated or transferred to a third-party sovereign nation to serve the remainder of the approved sentence,” a press release from the Department of Defense said.
The Pentagon Review Board also released another man back to Kenya. He was accused of belonging to Al-Qaeda’s eastern African branch. Although he was never charged, he was held at the detention facility for 17 years.
A total of 27 Guantanamo detainees remain imprisoned, and more than a dozen are eligible for transfer. Only two have been convicted and sentenced for crimes by the United States.
Under former President Barack Obama’s administration, the U.S. worked to reduce the population so the facility could eventually close. During his presidency, Guantanamo’s prison population went from 800 to 91.
Guantanamo Bay was originally established by President George W. Bush following the terror attacks of 9/11.
While in office, President Joe Biden announced plans to close the facility before leaving. But with those cleared for release still waiting for a country to take them in, the chances that the prison closes before Jan. 20 are dwindling.
Among those still being held in Guantánamo Bay are suspects accused of planning and carrying out the attacks on 9/11. That includes detainees whose evidence against them was obtained through torture while in the custody of the CIA.
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
President-elect Trump has created the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. And new details on a deadly massive explosion at a Kentucky food dye plant. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
Musk, Ramaswamy to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
Trump said Musk will be joined by entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in leading the department. The president-elect said the two businessmen will help his administration “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.”
Trump added the department will provide guidance from outside the government and “send shockwaves through the system.” The statement said Musk and Ramaswamy’s work will conclude no later than July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Musk, who also owns X, said on the social media site Tuesday night that all actions of the department will be posted online for “maximum transparency.”
Both Musk and Ramaswamy endorsed Trump during the 2024 campaign, with Ramaswamy doing so after dropping out of the race in January.
Along with meeting President Biden at the White House Wednesday, President-elect Trump is expected to also meet with Republicans at the Capitol as the GOP prepares to take control of both chambers of Congress, though some House races have still yet to be called.
The 44-year-old Army veteran is currently the host of Fox News channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend.” Hegseth joined the network in 2014.
Hegseth is a Princeton and Harvard Business School graduate. He served in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay and is still a member of the Minnesota Army Reserve.
In a statement, Trump said Hegseth is “tough, smart and a true believer in America first.” He added, “With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — our military will be great again, and America will never back down.”
Trump also filled other roles Tuesday, including selecting lawyer William McGinley as White House counsel, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel, real estate investor Steve Witkoff as special envoy to the Middle East, and former Congressman John Ratcliffe as CIA director. Ratcliffe served as director of national intelligence in the first Trump administration.
Republican senators to choose new majority leader
While control of the House of Representatives remains undecided, the Senate is firmly in the hands of Republicans after last week’s election and now they’re getting ready for another vote.
House Oversight Committee holding second UFO hearing
The House Oversight Committee is meeting Wednesday to once again talk UFOs. The hearing, which calls the objects by their new preferred name, is titled “Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Exposing the Truth.”
Arrogant bureaucrats in D.C. spend your money and withhold information on UAP while our nation's best pilots give a different story. How does the government expect to gain our trust when they don't trust us with the truth? pic.twitter.com/un2RzRfwrE
2 dead in Louisville plant explosion, nearby homes damaged
New information is emerging about the explosion at a food dye plant in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday afternoon. CBS and NBC News have reported two people have died, and at least nine others were badly hurt.
Authorities said two people had to be rescued from inside the plant Tuesday, but all employees have been accounted for.
The explosion, which happened in the city’s Clifton neighborhood, damaged nearby homes and residents were evacuated. One homeowner said it was a huge explosion and his entire house shook.
Today was a tough day for our city but we will get through this. I’m praying for everyone who was impacted and I’m incredibly thankful for the first responders who rushed in to save them. pic.twitter.com/cRbmqblph0
The mayor of Louisville said employees who were inside the building “reported normal activity when the explosion occurred.” The cause is under investigation.
This is not the first explosion to happen at that factory. One worker died after a tank exploded in 2003, when the plant had a different owner.
Kraft Heinz pulls school-approved Lunchables off the menu
The school-specific meals made their debut last school year. Kraft Heinz said they were protein-enriched and had reduced levels of saturated fat and sodium to meet the requirements of the national free and reduced-price school lunch program.
However, the meals got pushback from nutrition experts, who were concerned the school versions of Lunchables would confuse parents into thinking store-bought versions were healthier than they are. Then in April, Consumer Reports said it found the school-approved Lunachables actually contained more sodium than their store-bought counterparts.
In a statement, Kraft Heinz said its decision to pull school Lunchables was due to lack of demand.
Blumenthal wants Khalid Sheikh Mohammed deal scrutinized
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is calling for the plea deal given to 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to be scrutinized very carefully. Blumenthal is a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and said he has not received an explanation from the Biden administration.
“I think there are interests here that may not have been represented as fairly and aggressively as they should have been,” Blumenthal said. “I champion the 9/11 families in their legal action against Saudi Arabia. There is so much here that we don’t know. We have an obligation to tell the American people about the potential complicity not only of these defendants but of Saudi Arabia and other countries.”
On July 31, the Defense Department announced Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two of his accomplices are expected to plead guilty at the military commission at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. All three were jointly charged and arraigned in 2008 and 2012. Their lawyers had previously requested they receive life sentences in exchange for the guilty plea.
Mohammed conceived the idea of using planes in the attack and received approval from Osama Bin Laden to move forward with planning.
Mohammed was subject to waterboarding and torture while in custody. The evidence collected while he was being tortured is inadmissible in court, which contributed to the years of delays.
Blumenthal said the Biden administration owes both Congress and the victims’ families an explanation for why they entered the plea agreement. He expressed concern that the families may not have been represented fairly.
“When we fight terrorists and we have them in custody, we need to hold them accountable with the kinds of penalties that really do justice to the victims,” Blumenthal said.
Republicans also condemned the deal.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s weakness in the face of sworn enemies of the American people apparently knows no bounds,” Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement. “The only thing worse than negotiating with terrorists is negotiating with them after they are in custody. The families of their victims and the American people deserve real justice.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the move was the wrong signal at the wrong time.
“When we give a plea deal to the mastermind of 9/11 that just encourages more attacks,” Graham said. “I think it was an ill conceived idea. He’s not going anywhere. I mean, he’s held as an enemy combatant.”
Congress is in August recess and will also be out of Washington for all of October. So, if there’s going to be a public hearing on the deal, it will be at least a month out.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal to avoid death penalty
The alleged mastermind behind the 9/11 attack and two accomplices reached a plea deal with prosecutors. And former President Donald Trump sparks controversy with comments made about Vice President Kamala Harris at a conference of Black journalists. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.
Alleged 9/11 mastermind agrees to plea deal in exchange for life in prison
The alleged mastermind terrorist behind plotting the 9/11 attacks against the U.S. has pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty. The Department of Defense said Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his two accomplices accused of planning the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil have agreed to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison.
The pre-trial agreement allows them all to escape being sentenced to death, something that is upsetting some families of 9/11 victims. Prosecutors first notified impacted families of the plea deal reached before it went public.
BREAKING: Pentagon announces that Guantanamo that three of the five 9/11 defendants, including mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, have reached a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Harris is running unopposed and has already been endorsed by most of the Democratic delegates. She also picked up the endorsement of the United Auto Workers on Wednesday, July 31, giving her the support of one of the country’s largest unions.
I am honored to receive the endorsement of the United Auto Workers. From walking picket lines to taking on big banks, I have spent my entire career fighting for unions and working families—and, as President, I will continue to deliver for organized labor. https://t.co/CQc4K0YOBW
Voting on the virtual roll call ends on Monday, Aug. 5. It’s the same day Harris is expected to announce her running mate. They will then start a series of side-by-side campaigning in battleground states, with their first official event together scheduled in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
On Thursday, Trump’s vice presidential pick Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, will be touring the southern border, and Harris will speak at the funeral of Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.
Trump sparks controversy after questioning Kamala Harris’ racial identity
Former President Donald Trump attended a conference for Black journalists in Chicago on Wednesday, July 31, that’s creating the most buzz on the campaign trail Thursday, Aug. 1 morning. Trump made controversial remarks after being asked if he agrees with Republicans on Capitol Hill who have said the vice president was a “DEI hire.”
“Do you believe that Vice President Kamala Harris is only on the ticket because she is a Black woman?” ABC News’ Rachel Scott asked him.
“Well, I can say no,” Trump said. “I think it’s maybe a little bit different. So, I’ve known her a long time indirectly, not directly very much, and she was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black. And now she wants to be known as Black. So, I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?”
“She has always identified as a Black woman,” Scott interjected. “She went to a historically Black college.”
“You know what, I respect either one,” Trump said “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t. Because she was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden, she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person.”
“We all here remember what those four years were like,” Harris said. “And today we were given yet another reminder. This afternoon, Donald Trump spoke at the annual meeting of the National Association of Black Journalists, and it was the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect. And let me just say, the American people deserve better. The American people deserve better. The American people deserve a leader who tells the truth, a leader who does not respond with hostility and anger when confronted with the facts. We deserve a leader who understands that our differences do not divide us. They are an essential source of our strength.”
During her daily press conference, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to Trump’s comment, saying “it’s insulting.”
The former president defended his comments on his Truth Social platform, saying the questions he was being asked were “rude and nasty” and “often in the form of a statement” rather than question.
The questions were Rude and Nasty, often in the form of a statement, but we CRUSHED IT!@realDonaldTrump Donald Trump Truth Social 03:31 PM EST 07/31/24 pic.twitter.com/wetj11CoG0
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) July 31, 2024
Some Black Republican lawmakers have also jumped in to defend him — like Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt. Hunt posted a statement on his own Truth Social account reading in part, “He stood strong in the face of vicious attacks and gotcha questions, because that’s what leaders do.”
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., also commented on the former president’s remarks in a post on X.
“Fostering tough conversations and debate is how we make America great again for all Americans,” Donalds said. “Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.”
Unlike Kamala Harris, President Trump is not afraid of going into any venue, any time, anywhere.
Today at the NABJ Convention, President Trump took the incoming fire from hostile reporters, held firm, and articulated his plan to Make America Great Again for ALL AMERICANS. pic.twitter.com/KNEw5yaLmi
Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother. She attended the historically Black Howard University and is a member of the nation’s oldest Black sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.
Meanwhile, a debate between the two remains up in the air. Trump has voiced wanting a venue change and said he “probably will” debate Harris, but could also “make a case for not.”
Report: Iran’s supreme leader issues order for Iran to strike Israel
Tensions are rising in the Middle East following the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Iran. Hamas claims an Israeli missile hit the house of political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The New York Times reported that with the hit happening on Iranian soil, the country’s supreme leader has reportedly issued an order for Iran to strike Israel directly, citing three Iranian officials briefed on the order.
Haniyeh was the Hamas negotiator for a possible hostage deal with Israel. Many fear that deal is now dead.
The strike on Haniyeh came just hours after an Israeli airstrike killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon.
Breaking this morning: The Israeli military announced it had killed top Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif during a strike in Gaza earlier in July. Deif is believed to have been one of the masterminds behind the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel.
‘Weapons and Warfare’ goes inside Lockheed Martin’s F-35 assembly facility
In 2001, the Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin the contract to develop the F-35 fighter jet to replace aging aircraft. The jet is manufactured in three different variants: one for the Marine Corps, one for the Air Force and one for the Navy.
In a special edition of “Weapons and Warfare,” Straight Arrow News’ Ryan Robertson recently got to take a tour inside the Fort Worth, Texas facility that makes these fighter jets.
You can find this special edition of “Weapons and Warfare” right here.
Katie Ledecky ties record for most gold medals by female swimmer
Team USA now has won five Olympic gold medals in Paris, adding one more to its count after Wednesday’s events — and it was a historic one. Swimmer Katie Ledecky won the women’s 1,500 meter freestyle. She finished more than 10 seconds ahead of her competition to win her eighth Olympic gold medal.
With the victory, Ledecky tied the record for most gold medals by a female swimmer. It was also her 12th Olympic medal of any kind, which tied yet another record.
Ledecky is not done yet. She has a chance to break those records. She’ll be competing in the 4×200 meter relay Thursday, Aug. 1, and the 800 meter freestyle later this week.
Photos show China expanding spy stations in Cuba, 1 near US naval base
New satellite imagery shows China may be expanding electronic spying stations in Cuba. The island is just 90 miles south of Florida, giving it an ideal position to monitor sensitive U.S. communications and maritime activity in the region.
This latest development follows the Pentagon’s 2023 denial of a reported agreement between China and Cuba to construct an electronic eavesdropping facility in Cuba. At the time, the Pentagon press secretary labeled the report as “inaccurate.”
“I can tell you based on the information we have that is not accurate,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a press briefing in 2023. “We are not aware of China and Cuba developing any type of spy station.”
Despite the denials, there is growing evidence suggesting Chinese interest in using Cuba as a surveillance hub, directly challenging U.S. dominance in the region.
China’s goal to expand its military presence globally is well-documented, and Cuba offers an ideal foothold for the People’s Liberation Army in the Caribbean. According to a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Cuba is one of several countries where China aims to set up military bases.
Despite official secrecy surrounding China’s activities, recent imagery offers a comprehensive look at four active sites likely used for electronic surveillance operations.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies recently released a report about ongoing construction near the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, signaling deepening defense and intelligence ties between China and Cuba.
Chinese involvement in Cuba’s technology sector is extensive, with tech giants Huawei and ZTE playing pivotal roles in shaping Cuba’s telecommunications infrastructure. Both companies are blacklisted by the U.S. for espionage risks.
A notable new site at El Salao houses a sophisticated antenna array designed for signal interception — a technology still valued by China even after its abandonment by the U.S. and Russia post-Cold War.
Other sites like Bejucal and Calabazar have been significantly upgraded, including the installation of large dish antennas that enhance China’s space communications and surveillance capabilities.
The CSIS report emphasizes the strategic use of Cuba’s proximity to the southeastern U.S. for intelligence gathering by China. The expansion means China could intercept communications from U.S. military bases, space-launch facilities and commercial shipping routes.
US releases 2 detainees from Guantanamo prison after 20 years
Two Pakistani brothers who were held by the United States at the Guantanamo Bay military prison without charges for over two decades, have been released by the U.S. Abdul and Mohammed Rabbani were initially arrested in Pakistan in 2002 and transferred to U.S. custody after being accused of aiding al-Qaida.
The brothers alleged torture while in CIA custody before being transferred to Guantanamo, according to The Associated Press. However, U.S. military records describe the two as providing little intelligence of value or recanting statements made during interrogations on the grounds they were obtained by physical abuse.
Pakistani Sen. Mushtaq Ahmed Khan, the chairman of the human rights committee in the upper house of Pakistan’s parliament, tweeted that the two brothers had reached Islamabad airport.
Khan said the men were “innocently imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay for 21 years. There was no trial, no court proceedings, no charges against them. Congratulations on their release. Thank you Senate of Pakistan,” he wrote on Twitter.
The United States’ recent decision to release the brothers comes as part of its move towards shutting down the offshore military prison. Guantanamo Bay was set up at a naval base in Cuba during the George Bush administration following the 9/11 attacks, with officials at the time claiming it was intended to hold extremist suspects and would help deter further attacks.
But over the years, reports of prisoners being held without charge or trial, along with allegations of systematic torture, have led groups like Amnesty International to declare the detention center a “grave violation of human rights by the U.S. government.”
At its peak in 2003, the prison held around 600 people. The Pentagon says that 32 detainees remain in Guantanamo Bay today.