39 prisoners remain at Guantanamo 19 years on

Following the release of a Guantanamo Bay prisoner on Monday questions continue over the future of the 39 remaining detainees incarcerated in the Cuban province.

The transfer of Abdullatif Nasser was the first by the Biden administration, reviving an Obama administration effort that had been stymied by conservative opposition and the difficulty of resolving the remaining few dozen cases, including finding secure sites to send some of the detainees.

British broadcaster Sky News was given access to the detention centre last week where they attended the pre-trial of prisoner Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi.

He was accused and detained more than 15 years ago for allegedly being an al-Qaida commander who organised deadly attacks in Afghanistan.

His defence lawyer Susan Hensler told Sky, "This case is essentially the litigation of the war in Afghanistan and the war in Afghanistan is over," she added "my client should be sent home."

In Washington D.C., former Guantanamo prosecutor Omar Ashmawy told the broadcaster "it was wrong to take people and place them in a cage and throw away the key."

Rights groups have called the detentions and detention camp, opened under President George W. Bush after the 2001 al-Qaida attacks, a historic wrong by the United States.

There were allegations of torture in early questioning, and challenges to the lawfulness of military tribunals there.

The Bush administration and supporters called the camp, on a U.S. naval base in Cuba, essential to safely managing international terror suspects.

The State Department said President Joe Biden's administration would continue "a deliberate and thorough process" aimed at reducing the detainee population at Guantanamo "while also safeguarding the security of the United States and its allies."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration was considering all available options for safely transferring out the last detainees and shutting down Guantanamo.