[JURIST] Suspected Afghan terrorist Abdul Razzak died of colorectal cancer [press release] Sunday while in US custody at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive]. Razzak had been receiving chemotherapy treatment since October after being diagnosed with cancer and is the first detainee to die of natural causes while being held at Guantanamo. According to the military's statement, "Razzak was assessed to be an experienced jihadist with command responsibilities and was assessed to have had multiple links to anti-coalition forces. He was detained in Guantanamo as an enemy combatant, consistent with the international law of Armed Conflict."

Since the opening of Guantanamo Bay in 2001, five detainees have died while in US custody. The US military is currently investigating [JURIST report] the suicide death of detainee Abdul Rahman Ma'ath Thafir al-Amri [Wikipedia profile]. The military wants to know how Al-Amri committed suicide in June and if the guards could have taken steps to prevent Al-Amri's death. Three other detainees committed suicide [JURIST report] in June 2006. AFP has more.