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Guantanamo detainee cases assigned to federal prosecutors: report

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

[JURIST] Several cases involving Guantanamo Bay detainees have been assigned to federal prosecutors in Washington DC, New York, and Virginia, the Associated Press reported Monday. White House officials reportedly said that Attorney General Eric Holder met last week with federal prosecutors in four districts with experience in handling internationalist terrorism cases, as the Obama administration continues to consider options on what to do with the 229 remaining detainees. The prosecutors are now working with military officials with the hope of bringing indictments in civilian courts. The administration has not yet made a final decision to move forward, in part because of concerns over public opposition that could lead to a reduction in funding. On Sunday, it was reported that the Obama administration announced that it is considering creating a maximum security prison in Michigan or Kansas that would hold both military and civilian detainees as well as a courtroom to accommodate remaining detainees. In July, US Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson and Assistant Attorney General for National Security David Kris, both members of task force appointed by Obama to oversee the closing of Guantanamo, testified in front of the House Armed Services Committee that the Obama administration is considering transferring more detainees to the US. In May, the US House of Representatives passed a spending bill that denied the administration's request for $60 million to close Guantanamo Bay and placed limits on the government's ability to transfer detainees to the US and release detainees to foreign countries. Also in May, the Senate passed an amendment to a piece of legislation that eliminated $80 million intended to be used for the closure of Guantanamo until the president provides a "comprehensive, responsible plan" detailing how it will be done.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on August 04, 2009 (boomark / email).