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America repatriates 12 Guantanamo men

By Babs Odukoya
21 December 2009   |   9:17 pm
IN accordance with President Barack Obama's pledged to shut Guantanamo Bay prison camp, Cuba by 2010, the United States (U.S.) has transferred 12 detainees from the detention centre to Afghanistan, Yemen and the Somaliland region, the Justice Department said yesterday. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported that six Yemenis, four Afghans and two Somali detainees were sent to their homelands over the weekend. Obama acknowledged in November that he would miss his January deadline to close down the camp. America plans to send 116 detainees to their home countries or to third countries willing to accept them.

“These transfers were carried out under individual arrangements between the United States and relevant foreign authorities to ensure the transfers took place under appropriate security measures,” the Department of Justice said in a statement.

“Consultations with foreign authorities regarding these individuals will continue,” it added.

Yemenis account for almost half of the 198 detainees who remain at the U.S. military base in Cuba. But officials fear many could re-join militant groups if sent back to Yemen.

The Washington Post reported last week that the Yemeni transfers were the result of months of high-level talks with the government in Sanaa.

It said U.S. officials are prepared to repatriate more Yemenis if the transfer goes well.

Obama has pledged to shut the controversial detention centre in 2010, and announced last week that many of the detainees would be sent to a prison in the U.S. state of Illinois.

Some will face trials in U.S. criminal or military courts, while others are expected to be transferred abroad.

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