WASHINGTON – The United States has okayed the release of Guantanamo Bay’soldest prisoner Saifullah Paracha (73).

Suspected of having contacts with Al Qaeda, Paracha (a Pakistani) wasdetained in Bangkok in July 2003 and taken to Bagram Airbase inAfghanistan, before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2004.

Paracha was never charged with a crime. He was cleared by a US prisonersreview board along with two other men, CTV quoted Shelby Sullivan-Bennis,who represented Paracha at his hearing in November last year, as saying.Paracha’s lawyer said that he would be released in the next few months.

Detailed reasons for Paracha’s release were not disclosed. He was notifiedof that he had been approved for release after more than 16 years incustody at the US base in Cuba.

The notification for release concluded that Paracha is “not a continuingthreat” to the US, his lawyer said.

Paracha, who lived in the US and owned property in New York City, was aKarachi-based businessman. Authorities alleged he was an al-Qaeda“facilitator” who helped two of the conspirators in the September 11 plotwith a financial transaction. He says he didn’t know they were al-Qaida anddenies any involvement in terrorism.

In November, Paracha, who suffers from a number of ailments includingdiabetes and a heart condition, made his eighth appearance before thereview board, which was established under President Barack Obama to try toprevent the release of prisoners who authorities believed might engage inanti-US hostilities upon their release from Guantanamo.