Gitmo Inmates May Be Held Indefinitely in US

Detainees may be held without trial under authority of national security court

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted May 14, 2009 2:39 AM CDT

(Newser) – The Obama administration is considering moving the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay to US soil and holding them in prisons indefinitely without trial, the Wall Street Journal reports. The proposal would take place under the authority of a new national-security court, according to Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has met with White House officials to discuss the plan.

There are roughly 50 to 100 detainees out of the 241 still at Guantanamo "who we cannot release and cannot trust," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last month. Their fate has been the subject of much wrangling within the administration. President Obama’s 120-day suspension of military tribunals expires next week, and the administration has been working on retooling the system to give some of the accused more legal protection.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Ankle handcuffs are shown locked to a chair and floor in an interrogation room at Camp V, at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. (AP Photo/Haraz Ghanbari, file)

A Guantanamo detainee is escorted by US military personnel away from a clinic at Guantanamo Bay US Naval Base, Cuba, in this 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley, file)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

This is a difficult question. How do you hold someone in prison without a trial indefinitely?
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Getty Images

White Grandfather Cuffed for Walking With Black Granddaughter (NewsOne)

Man in Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half a Head (HuffPost)

These Exes Were Spotted Making Out … and That's a Bad Thing (Bleacher Report)

Help! I'm Having an Incestuous Relationship With My Twin (Slate)

Proof that Twitter Users are Sexier Than Facebook Users? (GeekSugar)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 3 comments

kokuaguy

May 15, 2009 1:17 AM CDT

You may have a point,sir; although the time of day when a post appears has a lot to do with the number of comments. In any case, I have enough faith in the Obama administration to believe that "indefinitely" doesn't mean forever. Had McCain been elected, I'd have assumed the opposite. I did post somewhere earlier today on this site that I'm willing to wait and see before condemning Obama's team since I believe they will bite the bullet and close Gitmo "with all deliberate speed", and will be forced to bring a number of detainees to U.S. prisons which will give Limbaugh and his ilk an unlimited amount of ammunition for their assault on this administration. The Pandora's Box thrown open when Bush's Neo-cons created Gitmo unleashed consequenses that it will take many years to deal with.

RobN

May 14, 2009 7:25 AM CDT

Interesting the way that none of our resident liberals have commented on this. If this was Bush coming out with this policy you'd all be apoplectic by now.

Timinator2K

May 14, 2009 1:09 AM CDT

Release ALL of the Gitmo detainees NOW! That is, back into the hands of their respective home country's governments...then their fate is in allah's hands and Oblablah scores yet another shell game victory!

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds Major Cash Inside

Study Finds Arsenic in Baby Formula, Cereal Bars

Wall Street Journal (Source Grid »)

Senate considers blocking funds for detainee transfer
AFP

US • Entertainment

military tribunal • Guantanamo Bay • Guantanamo prisoners • detention without trial • Obama administration • Jay-ZTV

More Newser Stories

No Clear Way for US to Prosecute Gitmo Prisoners

Experts split on whether to use federal courts or military commissions

(NEWSER) - President Obama is edging closer to his goal of closing the Guantanamo Bay prison: Congress has approved detainee trials on US soil and the National Defense Authorization Act, passed yesterday, attempts to repair the damaged legality of President Bush’s military-commissions system. But hurdles remain, with legal scholars split on using the improved military-commissions system or federal courts for prosecutions. More»

Obama to Restart Gitmo Tribunals

But this time, suspects will have more rights, legal protections

(AP) - President Obama will restart military tribunals for a small number of Guantanamo detainees—reviving a trial system he once said the Bush administration had abused—but with new legal protections for terror suspects, officials said. The trials will remain frozen for another 4 months as the administration adjusts the legal system that is expected to try fewer than 20 of the 241 Guantanamo detainees; 13 are already in the tribunal system. More»

Prez Orders Halt to Gitmo Trials

Prosecutors seeking 120-day delay while Obama sorts things out

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama ordered military prosecutors to seek a 120-day halt to legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay—due to resume today—against five accused 9/11 conspirators, and another case against a Canadian defendant. Documents already filed said the request is made "in the interest of justice and at the direction of the president." Military judges will decide today whether to grant the request, reports the Washington Post. More»

Obama Throws Away Civil Liberties With Defense Bill

President to sign bill allowing indefinite detention of Americans

(NEWSER) - President Obama is taking a lot of heat today for dropping his threat to veto a controversial defense bill that could allow the military to capture and indefinitely detain American citizens on US soil. In a fiery editorial, the New York Times today called it "a complete political cave-in, one that reinforces the impression of a fumbling presidency," saying it had too many objectionable parts to name. Other criticism has included: More»

Obama Restarts Guantanamo Trials

Administration ends 2-year military prosecution freeze

(NEWSER) - President Obama today reversed a two-year freeze on military prosecutions against Guantanamo Bay detainees, the AP reports. In an executive order, the president restarted the process of trying the high-risk detainees—the latest acknowledgment of the political difficulties of fulfilling his campaign promise to close the Cuban detention facility. Defense Secretary Robert Gates will also rescind his January 2009 ban on new prosecutions. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Gitmo Inmates May Be Held Indefinitely in US