'Torture prison' inmates may go to US jails

By David Blair in London Saturday July 05 2008 THE Bush administration is preparing to empty Guant-anamo prison of every inmate, possibly by finding a legal basis for transferring some prisoners to jails on the US mainland. Currently 265 detainees are being held at Guantanamo, in Cuba, down from a peak of more than 700 four years ago. Only 20 new prisoners have arrived since 2004. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that all inmates are protected by the US constitution, like all American citizens, and should have the right to habeas corpus. This ruling opened the way for the inmates to challenge their continued detention in civilian courts. The authorities have put the inmates into three categories. Owing to the weight of evidence against them, about 80 will soon be tried before military commissions, while a further 65 can be... [read full story]