Guantanamo Bay detainee allowed to return to Saudi Arabia after 20 years

Mohammad Ahmad al-Qahtani was accused of attempting to enter the US to hijack planes in the September 11 attack

A man accused of attempting to join hijackers in carrying out the September 11 attacks has been repatriated to his home country of Saudi Arabia for mental health treatment after two decades detained at Guantanamo Bay, the US Department of Defense said on Monday.

Mohammad Ahmad al-Qahtani was flown back to Saudi Arabia, to a treatment facility, from the US base in Cuba after a review board including military and intelligence officials concluded he no longer represented a significant threat to US national security, and could be safely released after 20 years in custody.