[JURIST] The Saudi Arabian government said Saturday that 14 Saudi detainees have returned home [SPA press release; DOD press release] following their transfers from Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive]. Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul-Aziz [official website] said that the ex-detainees would be referred to Saudi courts, but it was unclear what charges, if any, that they would face.

The transfer follows a similar transfer of 16 Saudis [JURIST report] in September, and now brings the total number of Saudi detainees at Guantanamo down to 22. On Monday, the DOD transferred 11 prisoners [JURIST report] to Jordan and Afghanistan, and now lists the total number of detainees eligible for transfer at 70. In August President George W. Bush expressed hope that the Guantanamo detention facility would eventually be shut down [JURIST report], but said that other countries have shown reluctance to accept detainees. Roughly 305 detainees remain at the prison facility. AP has more.