2001

Following the 11 September terrorist attacks, President George W Bush issues a military order authorising the US to hold foreign nationals in custody without charge indefinitely.

2002

The first 20 detainees arrive from Afghanistan on 11 January. The world is shocked by pictures from Camp X-ray of men in orange jumpsuits kneeling in wire mesh cages outdoors. Vice-President Dick Cheney describes the prisoners as “the worst of a very bad lot” and “devoted to killing millions of Americans”.

2003

Prison population hits a peak of 697 detainees in May.

2004

The “Tipton three” – Rhuhel Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul, who were detained in Afghanistan in 2001 by a local warlord – are released without charge and flown back to Britain.

2005

Moazzam Begg, a British citizen detained in Pakistan in 2002 as a suspected member of al-Qaida, is released and continues to advocate for detainees through the organisation Cage Prisoners.

2006

A UN report recommends the closure of Guantánamo Bay prison.

2007

“Why don’t we close Guantánamo and restore the right of habeas corpus, because that’s how we lead, not with the might of our military, but the power of our ideals and the power of our values.”

Senator Barack Obama, 19 June

2008

The last known arrival at the prison in Guantánamo is Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani on 14 March.

2009

Barack Obama takes office and signs an order on his second full day to close the prison at Guantánamo.

“The detention facilities at Guantánamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from the date of this order.”

President Obama, 22 January

2013

“Guantánamo is not necessary to keep America safe. It is expensive. It is inefficient. It hurts us in terms of our international standing … It needs to be closed.”

Obama, 30 April

2014

“This needs to be the year Congress lifts the remaining restrictions on detainee transfers and we close the prison at Guantánamo Bay.”

Obama, 28 January

2015

Saudi-born Shaker Aamer, the last British resident held at Guantánamo, is released after 14 years following public protests and a plea to Obama from David Cameron.

2016

Ten Yemeni detainees are transferred to Oman, the biggest Guantánamo release to a single country by the Obama administration. It brings the total down to 91.

“I will keep working to shut down the prison at Guantánamo. It is expensive, it is unnecessary, and it only serves as a recruitment brochure for our enemies. There’s a better way.”

Obama, State of the Union address, 12 January