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Friday 8 June 2018

U.S. military plans for future at Guantanamo because of Trump

By BEN FOX opened in January 2002
Associated Press under President George W.
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL Bush as a makeshift place
BASE, Cuba (AP) — A new to hold and interrogate
dining hall for guards at people suspected of
the Guantanamo Bay involvement with al-Qaida
detention center has a and the Taliban. Global
shimmering view of the outrage erupted over the
Caribbean and a lifespan treatment of prisoners
of 20 years. Barracks and the Supreme Court
scheduled to start getting ultimately ruled that
built next year are meant anyone held there was
to last five decades. And entitled to challenge their
the Pentagon has asked detention in American
Congress to approve courts, eliminating one
money for a new super-max of the main rationales for
prison unit to be designed using Guantanamo in the
with the understanding that first place.
prisoners will likely grow old Bush eventually said the jail
and frail in custody — some should close and released
perhaps still without being more than 500 prisoners.
convicted of a crime. Obama said the facility was
President Donald Trump's damaging U.S. relations
order in January to keep around the world and was
the Guantanamo jail open, a waste of money, costing
and allow the Pentagon to more than $400 million
bring new prisoners there, is a year to operate, and
prompting military officials ordered it closed shortly
to consider a future for the upon taking office. But
controversial facility that Congress blocked closure
the Obama administration and passed legislation that
sought to close. Officials barred any of the men held
talked about the plans in an there from being transferred
unusually frank manner as to U.S. soil, even for criminal
a small group of journalists trials. His administration
toured the isolated base transferred 242 prisoners
where 40 men are still In this Wednesday, June 6, 2018 photo, reviewed by U.S. military officials, an Army soldier, right, out of Guantanamo.
held behind tall fences and a Marine stand in front of the gates that separate the Cuban side from the Guantanamo Bay Trump has so far allowed
and coils of razor wire on U.S. Naval Base. only one prisoner to
the southeastern coast of Associated Press leave: a Saudi who was
Cuba. transferred to his homeland
"We've got to plan for Ring, commander of the is not suitable to hold men Obama the but couldn't to serve out the rest of his
bureaucratic
task force that runs the who will likely be in custody clear
the long term," Army sentence as part of a plea
Col. Stephen Gabavics, jail. "So I have all sorts of for many years to come. and diplomatic hurdles deal.
structures that I have been The new unit, which would before he left office. Of the
commander of the guard Officials at the detention
force, told reporters this neglecting or just getting be known as Camp 8, remainder, nine have been center said they could
by with that now I've got to would have cell doors wide charged in the military
week. "We ultimately have take in about 40 more
to plan for whether or not replace." enough for wheelchairs commission system and are male detainees without
The Pentagon wants at least and hospice beds and in proceedings at various
they are going to be here any changes to staff levels
for the rest of their lives." $69 million to replace Camp communal areas so elderly stages. The remaining 26 and about 200 if additional
7, the super-max unit that prisoners could help each have neither been charged
The Pentagon was guards are brought in. No
nor deemed eligible for
investing in upgrades holds 15 men designated other as they grow old. has transfer. They are being such request has come
as "high-value detainees" The
White
House
at the Navy base under from the administration,
President Barack Obama, who were previously in endorsed the proposal but held in indefinite detention Ring said, but he added
CIA custody. They include it is not known whether under what the U.S. asserts
whose push to shutter the that he has been asked
detention center couldn't five men facing trial by Congress will approve it. are the international laws "some hypothetical
commission
at "We have the responsibility of war.
military
overcome opposition questions" about capacity.
in Congress. But those Guantanamo for planning for the detainees that we The military allowed "We are not imminently
and aiding the Sept. 11, have here, regardless of journalists a brief visit this
projects, including the expecting any new guests
$150 million barracks, 2001, terrorist attack on the what the political flavor is week inside Camp 6, if you will," he said.q
U.S. The men could get the outside there," Gabavics where most of the prisoners
were funded with the
understanding that they death penalty if convicted, said. "We have the are held, as the men milled Like us on
and
conducted
but the proceedings have responsibility to provide about
could be used by the
personnel of the Navy base been bogged down in for their safety, care and late-afternoon prayers. Facebook
pre-trial proceedings for custody so all that we ask Attorney David Remes, who
that hosts the detention
center. Now they are years and any conviction is that we get the resources represents four prisoners,
would likely bring years of we need to be able do said they are bored and
viewed as part of a broader
effort to be able to operate appeals. that." frustrated. "Limbo has never
more
limbo-like,"
Officials say Camp 7 is The 40 detainees left at been
the prison for many years to
come. in need of major repairs, Guantanamo include Remes said. "They are just
with cracking walls and a five who were deemed waiting, waiting, waiting."
"Now my mission is
enduring," said Adm. John sinking foundation, and it eligible for transfer under The detention center facebook.com/bondianoticia