WASHINGTON — A Post report about Qatar giving refuge to Islamic radicals and the vague terms of the “monitoring” of the Taliban 5 is giving new ammo to critics blasting the trade for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
The conditions for the required one-year stay by the former Guantanamo detainees in Qatar has drawn some of the most direct criticism from security experts and on Capitol Hill since President Obama announced the prisoner swap.
“We don’t know who’s doing the monitoring or what’s involved,” said Charles Stimpson, an ex-Pentagon official who worked on detainee issues during the Bush administration.
The men have already been spotted in the Qatari capital of Doha.
The administration has held back the conditions of their stay.
John Rossomando of the Investigative Project on Terrorism told The Post that Qatar “has been the one holdout in the region that’s a big supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood.”
Obama counselor John Podesta said the United States would be keeping tabs on the detainees as well.
“I think it’s fair to say we’ll keep an eye on them,” Podesta said.