Nizar Sassi

Who is Nizar Sassi?

Nizar Sassi is a citizen of France who was detained by the United States in their naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 325.

Sassi was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. He was repatriated to France on July 27, 2004. Sassis remained in French custody until January 9, 2006. Although originally convicted in France, his trial was overturned and he was released in February 2009.

Sassi worked for the Venissieux Council. Venissieux is a suburb or Lyon.

According to his brother, Aymen, Nizar traveled to Pakistan to learn formal Arabic.

Security authorities claim Sassi travelled to Afghanistan in 2001 at the direction of Menad Benchellali, an alleged al Qaeda recruiter. Mourad Benchellali and Sassi are alleged to have traveled to Afghanistan on forged passports.

Nizar Sassi and four other men stood trial on terrorism charges upon their return to France. The five men's conviction were overturned in February 2009, because they had improperly been interviewed by France's intelligence officials, who were not authorized to act in a law enforcement role. On February 17, 2010, the Court of Cassation, a higher court, ordered a re-trial of the five men.