US planning to empty Gitmo prison

Saturday, July 05, 2008 WASHINGTON: The US government is developing a “long-range plan” to empty its war-on-terror prison at its naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, and seeking help on what to do with inmates who won’t be tried, The Washington Post reported on Friday. President George W Bush’s administration may ask Congress to “spell out procedures for scores of suspected terrorists whom the government does not plan to bring to trial,” the report said, citing unnamed administration officials and others familiar with high-level White House talks on the thorny issue. Last month the US Supreme Court ruled that inmates could challenge their detention in a civilian court. The US government had said it wanted to bring 60 to 80 Guantanamo detainees before military commissions, though only about 20 have so far been charged. The... [read full story]