U.S. Erecting a Solid Prison at Guantánamo for Long Term

[Khephra]

The detention facility here for prisoners captured mostly in the Afghanistan war is increasingly taking on a permanent air as the authorities are building a hard-walled traditional prison alongside the corrugated metal units that have housed detainees for nearly two years.

Although the International Committee of the Red Cross has taken the unusual step of publicly criticizing the United States for the open-ended nature of the detention, officials here say they are planning changes that will allow for the long term. Col. Jerry Cannon, who is in charge of the prison facility, said in a recent interview here that he was revising some of the security procedures at the camp with the expectation that it would continue to hold prisoners for some years.

The hard-walled prison will be ready next spring, said Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, the public affairs officer for the Joint Task Force that administers the detention camp and supervises prisoner interrogations. "This will be a permanent structure and will be able to house approximately 100 prisoners," Colonel Hart said.

The camp currently houses about 660 detainees in varying degrees of security. The new prison could be where prisoners sentenced by military tribunals would serve their terms. Although the rules for tribunals include the possibility of capital punishment, Colonel Hart said there were no plans to build an execution chamber.

more...................

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/22/national/22GITM.html

[Zhade]

1. Two words: concentration camp.

When are they going to intall the ovens? White House = Traitors!

[DuctapeFatwa]

2. The Dem candidates have been uncharacteristically silent on a subject

that impacts so directly on national security and the safety of American citizens.

One would think that they would be most anxious to make their views known...

[Zhade]

3. Maybe they don't want to end up as a "tourist" there.

NT!