At the time of the statement, the U.S. occupying forces acknowledged having 6210 detainees, including two minors, 38 officials of the Baath Party and four foreign nationals, without specifying whether the number of prisoners was only limited to Al-Tajji detention center.

The detention center opened in late 2008, and by May 2009 was holding 1439 detainees according the center's commanding officer. Amongst the 1439 detainees, according to an U.S. army General, 281 were detained without evidence. Consequently, the U.S. government admitted to holding 134 foreign nationals, mostly from Arab countries.

Alkarama is astonished that the U.S. authorities have only acknowledged the presence of four foreigners at Al-Tajji detention center - while earlier figures from May 2009 were much higher. It comes as an even greater surprise that sources indicate that a significant number of Arab nationals have indeed been transferred to this center.

The primary concern is that these detainees do not become victims of enforced disappearance when the Iraqi authorities take full control of the detention center in March 2010.

Therefore, Alkarama calls upon the U.S. authorities make public the names of all their current prisoners, domestic or foreign, before they are handed over to the Iraqi government.