The defense chief says that many could not be sent abroad or put on trial if the prison shuts.
By Elisabeth Bumiller and William Glaberson
Denver Post
Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggested Thursday that as many as 100 detainees would be held without trial on U.S. soil if the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were closed, a situation that he acknowledged would create widespread, if not unanimous, opposition in Congress.
The estimate was the most specific yet from the Obama administration about how many of the 241 detainees at Guantanamo could not be safely released, sent to other countries or appropriately tried in U.S. courts.
In January, President Barack Obama ordered the prison closed by the end of the year, but his administration is still trying to decide what to do with the detainees.
Gates said discussions had started this week with the Justice Department about determining how many of the Guantanamo detainees could not be sent to other countries or tried in courts.
He did not say which detainees might be in that group, but independent experts have said it probably would include terrorism suspects from Yemen — whose ability to provide adequate rehabilitation and security to supervise returned prisoners is in doubt — and al-Qaeda figure Abu Zubaydah, who was subject to brutal interrogations in secret prisons run by the CIA.
“What do we do with the 50 to 100 — probably in that ballpark — who we cannot release and cannot try?” Gates said in a hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.
He did not say whether the detainees would be imprisoned temporarily or indefinitely or under what law they would be held.
The Obama administration is debating how to establish a legal basis for incarcerating detainees deemed too dangerous to be released but not appropriate to be tried because of potential problems posed by their harsh interrogations, the evidence against them or other issues.
Some Republicans have become increasingly vocal in asserting that Washington has not come up with a viable alternative to the Guantanamo prison.
“The question of where the terrorists at Guantanamo will be sent is no joking matter,” Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said Thursday. “The administration needs to tell the American people how it will keep the terrorists at Guantanamo out of our neighborhoods and off of the battlefield.”
At the hearing, Gates said he had asked for $50 million in supplemental financing in case a facility needed to be built quickly for the detainees. He did not specify what kind of facility or where it might be, but he acknowledged that it would be unpopular in most places.
“I fully expect to have 535 pieces of legislation before this is over saying ‘not in my district, not in my state,’ ” Gates said. “We’ll just have to deal with that when the time comes.”
Members of Congress were already pleading with Gates on Thursday not to send the detainees to their states. “Please not at Leavenworth,” said Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.
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Montana Town Wants Its Empty Jail to Be the New Guantanamo Bay
FOX News
BILLINGS, Mont.
President Obama has 240 terror suspects he has said will be moved out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year. The city of Hardin has a brand-new empty jail.
A match made in heaven? Hardin officials think so; Montana’s congressional delegation thinks not.
The development authority in Hardin, a city of 3,400 people bordering the Crow Indian Reservation, built the $27 million, 460-bed jail two years ago and has been looking for tenants ever since. Its construction loans are in default.
The City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday in favor of a resolution supporting a proposal to house terror suspects currently detained at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay while they await trial.
“Somebody has to stand up and put (the Guantanamo prisoners) in their backyards. It’s our patriotic duty,” said Greg Smith, director of the city’s Two Rivers Authority.
“Not on my watch,” U.S. Sen. Max Baucus said.
The Montana Democrat said the detainees’ presence would be a security risk to the community and exceed the capacity of the U.S. District Court in Billings, which would have jurisdiction over their cases.
The rest of the state’s congressional delegation — Democratic Sen. Jon Tester and Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg — agreed that bringing Guantanamo prisoners to Montana is a bad idea, though they support efforts to find some other use for the jail.
Wild Thing’s comment…….
After spending millions $$$$ upgrading Gitmo into a first class prison, Obama Gates are closing it and want to spend millions more on building another prison since nobody wants the terrorist in their “back yards,” despite all the previous rhetoric about “values” and “rule of law.”
Why not just turn them lose on condition they swim home? Saudi Arabia? A few breast strokes, some Gatoraide and bingo, you’re there!
I swear to god, the sheer IDIOCY of these people is absolutely staggering. So let me guess, they build the new prison, Fort Liberal, or some such, then the Code Pinkos can go and protest their and serve lunch to the terrorists.
….Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
The solution is easy. Admit he made a mistake and leave GITMO open.
Bob A.
BobA – you’re right except the exalted one never makes mistakes.
$50M for about 100 terrorists? Half a million each just to build another facility. Dumb, ignorant, stupid asshole Obama!
It would be cheaper to turn them loose in Montana with a bounty on their heads, “Wanted:Dead only”.
Bob A., I wish he would do that. This is
such a huge mistake.
Tom, now that is an idea, and the problem
would be solved.