Obama
A significant number of the men listed are Yemenis, reflecting U.S. concerns over sending Guantanamo detainees to the troubled nation, where they could become involved in terror-related activities. President Barack Obama suspended transfers to Yemen in January 2010, citing the “unsettled” security situation there. Since 2009, government officials have kept secret the identities of detainees approved for release or transfer, saying a public release would hinder diplomatic efforts to arrange for the men to be moved to “safe and responsible” locations. “The United States originally sought protection of this information in order to maintain flexibility in its diplomatic engagements with foreign governments on potential detainee transfers, especially in cases of resettlement in third countries, rather than the detainees’ respective countries of origin,” a Justice Department spokesperson said Friday. But in a court filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in the capital Washington, government lawyers said “circumstances have changed” such that prisoners’ names “no longer warrant protection.” The efforts of the United States to resettle Guantanamo detainees have largely been successful,” they said, noting that 28 prisoners have been sent to their home countries since 2009, while 40 prisoners have been transferred to other countries.Shortly after taking office, President Barack Obama issued an order to shutter the facility by January 2010. But his plans quickly fell apart amid staunch opposition from Congress, as lawmakers raised security concerns. Although Congress has placed restrictions limiting prisoner transfers to other countries or on U.S. soil, the Obama administration has sought help from allies willing to take in qualified detainees.Amnesty International USA executive director Suzanne Nossel said the cleared detainees “should be immediately transferred out of Guantanamo to countries that will respect their human rights... Indefinite detention is a human rights violation and it must end.” The disclosure “dispels the myth that the remaining detainees who are trapped at Guantanamo are too dangerous to be released,” said the Center for Constitutional Rights, which represents some Guantanamo prisoners. Hmmmm.......The efforts of the United States to resettle Guantanamo detainees have largely been successful,”.....How many started their terrorist activities AGAIN?Read the full story here.
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