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Guantanamo prisoner dies

  • Story Highlights
  • Abdul Razzak was undergoing treatment since October for colorectal cancer
  • The Afghani was an "experienced jihadist," the U.S. military says
  • International Committee of the Red Cross representative witnessed Razzak's care
  • Many Guantanamo Bay detainees are challenging their years-long detention
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(CNN) -- A prisoner held as an "enemy combatant" at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, died Sunday of cancer, the U.S. military announced.

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"Enemy combatant" Abdul Razzak died at the naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the U.S. military said.

Abdul Razzak, of Afghanistan, had been undergoing treatment since October for colorectal cancer, which was diagnosed in September, a new release from the military's Joint Task Force - Guantanamo stated.

A representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross witnessed his care before and at the time of death, it added.

Razzak "was assessed to be an experienced jihadist with command responsibilities and was assessed to have had multiple links to anti-coalition forces," the release said.

This month, the U.S. Supreme Court appeared divided along ideological lines after considering the constitutional rights of the more than 300 suspected terrorists and foreign fighters held at Guantanamo Bay, a U.S. Navy base which the United States leases from Cuba.

Many of the detainees are challenging their years-long detention, contending they are entitled to petition for the writ of habeas corpus, in which a government must justify a prisoner's custody.

The high court has twice ruled against the government's authority to hold people it labels "enemy combatants." A law passed in 2006 would limit court jurisdiction to hear such challenges.

Several justices expressed concern that some of the prisoners could be held indefinitely by the government without charges or legal representation.

"I've been here six years," in custody, paraphrased Justice Stephen Breyer of a typical detainee.

The government has argued that one reason the detainees are not entitled to all constitutional rights is that they are not being held in the United States. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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