Obama halts Gitmo-to-Yemen transfers

[Alan]

The White House announced Tuesday it is halting the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to Yemen, a move that could complicate President Barack Obama's plans to close the controversial prison.

It also stands to sharply increase the number of Guantanamo inmates who could be moved to rural Thomson, Ill., site of a state prison the Obama administration wants to buy and operate as a federal prison and military detention center.

Some supporters have sold the idea of "Gitmo North" to local residents as the destination for no more than 100 former Guantanamo detainees, though the White House has never committed to that limit.

Ninety-one Yemeni detainees currently make up almost half the 198 detainees remaining in the U.S. facility on a naval base in Cuba.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs acknowledged Tuesday that a long-term hold on transfers to Yemen could mean that some of those detainees would have to go to Illinois instead.

The White House took the step in the wake of new evidence that Yemen is a center for al-Qaida activity. A Yemeni group affiliated with al-Qaida claimed responsibility for the failed Christmas Day attack on an airliner bound for Detroit.

"While we remain committed to closing the facility, the determination has been made that, right now, any additional transfers to Yemen are not a good idea," Gibbs said.

In comments made after meeting with national security officials, Obama reiterated the decision to halt transfers.

"We will not be transferring additional detainees back to Yemen at this time," Obama said. "But make no mistake. We will close Guantanamo prison, which has damaged our national security interests and become a tremendous recruiting tool for al-Qaida."

The Obama administration last transferred six detainees to Yemen on Dec. 20, and one other Yemeni was transferred earlier as a result of a court order. In all, 21 Yemeni detainees have been released from Guantanamo.

The U.S. government has long been concerned about Yemen's ability to hold or monitor detainees

I wonder why . Perhaps the fact 2 former detainees were planners in this last attack.

Gitmo never damaged U.S national security. Obama and his liberal buddies did by using it for their own cynical political gains. Now they're exposing themselves as the hypocrites they are. If they can't be charged release them as you demanded of the previous administration. That is after all the "change" he "promised" :erm:

He's already transfered some to Yemen already and even Somaliland( evidently they think they'll be held and monitored there) of all places

 

[Fudzy]

Just because they have been released do you think they're not going to be angry?

"You letting me go? Great, thanks for the stay, I really enjoy the waterboarding."

 

[Alan]

Just because they have been released do you think they're not going to be angry?

"You letting me go? Great, thanks for the stay, I really enjoy the waterboarding."

Yeah sure. Poor innocent Habib walks out of Gitmo straight into the high echelons of a terrorist organization. A total noob but he compensates his lack of qualification by his anger. Like this individual

The Taliban's surge commander was Gitmo detainee

Like Rasoul, some of the former detainees went on to become major Taliban figures. Abdullah Mehsud was released from Guantánamo in March 2004 and “became well known for his attacks in Pakistan,” the DOD noted in its 2008 report. “In October 2004, [Mehsud] kidnapped two Chinese engineers and claimed responsibility for an Islamabad hotel bombing.” In addition, a Pakistani government official confirmed that Mehsud “directed a suicide attack in April 2007 that killed 31 people.” In a confrontation with Pakistani forces in July 2007, Mehsud “blew himself up to avoid capture.”

Similarly, Mohammed Naim Farouq was released from Guantánamo in July 2003. In 2006, according to press reports, the Defense Intelligence Agency included him in a deck of playing cards listing the 20 most wanted terrorists operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Osama bin Laden was number one in the deck.

Rasoul’s reported return to the Taliban underscores the difficulties the U.S. government has in determining who can be released and ensuring that the former detainees do not return to terrorism. Detainees at Guantánamo frequently lie about their past and their intentions upon release.

During his ARB hearing, for example, Rasoul was asked: “What do you plan to do if you are released back to Afghanistan for work?” Rasoul responded: “I want to go back home and join my family and work in my land and help my family.”

“Do you like what the United States is doing in Afghanistan now?,” one board member wanted to know. Rasoul responded: “Yes, I am very happy. I am very pleased like I told you before. They are [re]building my country.”

“I [have] never been America’s enemy and I never intend to be,” Rasoul insisted.

According to the latest press accounts, Rasoul is now one of America's chief enemies in southern Afghanistan.

Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/03/the_talibans_surge_c.php#ixzz0bpMCSFQm

[-]criminal[/-] terrorist is a victim BS

Of course you have proof that any of those released were even waterboarded?

 

[MidnightWizard]

SICK

[-]criminal[/-] terrorist is a victim BS
Of course you have proof that any of those released were even waterboarded?

The only reason the Americans took these guys [-]POW[/-] was to drain every bit of info out of them -- by whatever means possible.

Suddenly realised -- they were NEVER POW's because the great liberal America flaunted the Geneva Convention.


You NEVER take this type of activist prisoner in the FIRST place.

HOW did they ever think that after this kind of incarceration these guys were now suddenly going to luv America.

It is this USELESS type idiot American that needs it's head read.

Typical American lies BS and hypocrisy.


MW

 

[marine1]

Execute the ****lers already what a waste of money to keep them alive