Judge orders release of Guantanamo detainee

Jul 30, 2009, 17:08 GMT

Washington - A US federal judge on Thursday ordered the release of one of the youngest Guantanamo detainees, who has been in custody at the controversial prison for more than six years.

US District Court Judge Ellen Huvelle has previously questioned the government's evidence against Mohammed Jawad, who is believed to be in his early 20s and is accused of throwing a grenade at American soldiers in Afghanistan.

Huvelle ordered the government to reply by August 24 as to whether Jawad has been transferred to another country.

The US Justice Department, according to Bloomberg news, has filed papers in court stating that it is looking into freeing Jawad and sending him back to Afghanistan.

But the prosecutors also say they are investigating whether he can be tried in a US court.

The effort to deal with Jawad's case is the latest by President Barack Obama's administration to close Guantanamo, where more than 200 prisoners remain locked up.