Originally the Bush Presidency asserted that captives apprehended in the "war on terror" were not covered by the Geneva Conventions, and could be held indefinitely, without charge, and without an open and transparent review of the justifications for their detention.

On April 25, 2011, whistleblower organization WikiLeaks published formerly secret assessments drafted by Joint Task Force Guantanamo analysts.

[17] It was signed by camp commandant Rear Admiral David M. Thomas Jr., who recommended continued detention in Guantanamo His Periodic Review Board was convened on June 23, 2015.

[5] According to the Miami Herald the officials reviewing Baker's status were told he had ties to al Qaeda from the time the organization was based in Sudan, during the early 1990s.

[5][18] The Miami Herald noted that he "voluntarily" agreed to meet with the officials during the period of Ramadan, pointing out that it was a time which "many Muslims devote to daytime fasting and prayer".