Former Gitmo Detainees Qatar

Former Gitmo Detainees Qatar, Five Taliban militants freed in exchange for U.S. captive soldier Bowe Bergdahl will not be locked up while in Qatar, a diplomatic source in the Persian Gulf region said Tuesday.

The Afghan detainees, who were released from the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba on Saturday, will be watched very closely during their one-year travel ban – but their movements within the Arab emirate are not restricted, the source said.

The comments came hours after President Barack Obama defended the swap, citing a “sacred” obligation not to leave American soldiers behind even as the nation’s top military officer said the circumstances around Bergdahl’s capture would be scrutinized.

Obama, speaking to reporters in Poland on Tuesday, expressed confidence that the United States could still go after the militants if they pose a future threat to national security.

“We will be keeping eyes on them,” the president said. “Is there the possibility of some of them trying to return to activities that are detrimental to us? Absolutely,” he said.

“We have confidence that we will be in a position to go after them if in fact they are engaging in activities that threaten our defenses.”