Thursday, December 24, 2009

Gitmo may remain open until 2011

The US military prison in Guantanamo Bay may stay open for another year despite President Barack Obama's pledge to close the infamous detention center by 2010.

Recent calculations show that the US administration's timetable to close down Guantanamo by January 2010 has to be revisited over legal and financial issues surrounding the relocation of camp, The Associated Press reported.

Opponents to Obama's plan to buy and upgrade a prison in the State of Illinois to a super-max security status have vowed to challenge the president's intended funding for the penitentiary and delay passage of laws meant to facilitate detention and prosecution of 'terrorism' suspects who face no charges.

"I think there will be bipartisan opposition" to bringing Guantanamo inmates to Thomson prison around 220 kilometers west of Chicago, said Donald Stewart who represents Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell.

US lawmakers also seem adamant to change laws ruling out detention of onshore captives who do not face prosecution.

Meanwhile, the scheduled purchase of the rural prison in Illinois may be postponed until March and will require around 10 months of renovations, officials say.


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