Mourad Benchellali

Who is Mourad Benchellali?

Mourad Benchellali is a French citizen, who was captured and detained in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 161.

Benchellali is the younger brother of Menad Benchellali, an alleged graduate of the Derunta training camp, who it is claimed, received chemical weapons training. Benchellali and Nizar Sassi are alleged to have traveled to Afghanistan on forged passports.

Benchellali is reported to have directed Mourad, and a friend, Nizar Sassi, to go Afghanistan.

Benchellali was transferred from US custody to French custody in July 2004. Although originally convicted in France, his trial was overturned and he was released in February 2009.

On February 17, 2010, the Court of Cassation, the highest court in France, ordered a re-trial of the five men.