Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Legal News Blogs -> JURIST - The Paper Chase

Legal News

: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Australia 'unlikely' to accept foreign Guantanamo detainees

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Australian acting prime minister Julia Gillard on Friday said it was "unlikely" that the country would accept foreign detainees released from the Guantanamo Bay military prison, but that her country was considering a second request to do so by the administration of US President George W. Bush. Gillard's statement comes after opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull strongly criticized a reported decision by the government of Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd  to accept the detainees. In her statement, Gillard said that Australia had not agreed to accept the detainees, but was considering the move:The Bush Administration first approached Australia in early 2008 with a request to resettle a small group of detainees from Guantanamo in Australia. After appropriate consideration, Australia declined to allow resettlement of that small group in Australia. The Bush Administration approached Australia again in early December 2008 with a second request to assist with relocation. Australia, as an ally of the United States, is examining this second request. Notwithstanding that it is unlikely Australia would accept these detainees, given the fact that the Bush Administration has formally approached Australia with this request, the request demands proper consideration. A Friday report in the Australian quoted US major general and former military commission appointing authority John Altenburg as warning that other detainees had gone "back on the battlefield" after being released from the base. Australia has already accepted the return for former detainee and Australian citizen David Hicks, but announced that it would also consider accepting detainees with no connection to the country last week.Britain, Germany, Ireland, and Portugal have already said they will consider taking in released Guantanamo detainees, although other countries have been notably reticent. On December 18, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates ordered the Pentagon to draft a proposal for shutting down the military prison at Guantanamo Bay in preparation for a possible order from President-elect Barack Obama. The US government has reportedly been in contact with some 100 foreign governments asking them to consider taking in detainees who it says cannot be returned to their home states.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 02, 2009 (boomark / email).