Judge orders release of 5 Gitmo detainees

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Washington Thursday ordered five Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prisoners released, saying "seven years is enough" in captivity.

U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon, in the first ruling that carries out the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on detainee rights, said a single classified document the government used to hold the five wasn't convincing, Scotusblog.com reported. The government claimed, based on the document, the five -- plus one other detainee -- planned to travel to Afghanistan to participate in terrorist activities against U.S. and allied forces.

Leon said the government persuaded him that the sixth detainee, Belkacem ben Sayah, was "an al-Qaida facilitator" who sought to arrange travel to Afghanistan to engage in armed hostilities with U.S. and coalition partners.

The six prisoners were living in Bosnia when they were captured, although all are natives of Algeria.

Leon also suggested that government officials decline to appeal his ruling, suggesting "seven years is enough" in captivity, the Web site said.

It took nearly an hour for the judge to announce his ruling because it was translated to the detainees via a telephone link with the prison at Guantanamo Bay.