GITMO Detainees to Illinois Prison Posted by James Lamond

The LA Times reports this morning that:

"A near-empty prison in rural Illinois has emerged as "a leading option" to house terrorism suspects currently held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an Obama administration official said Friday."

Apparently the state of Illinois built this huge prison eight years ago, but due to budget constraints it has remained largely unused.  There are 1,600 cells, but only144 inmates.  The administration is considering buying the Thomas Correctional Facility and to house the Guantanamo Bay detainees.  It remains unclear whether this would be the sole facility where they are  brought, but with all the open beds, there seems to be plenty of room for the 215 Gitmo detainees. 

One thing that is really interesting about this choice is that with all the hysteria over the idea of bringing Guantanamo detainees to the US and all the people yelling "not in my back yard!", where do they end up? Thats right in the president's home state. 

After all, why wouldn't they go to Illinois.  This seems like a solution to several problems.  One being that Thomas, IL has suffered a great deal from the recession and could use the influx of federal dollars.  So it is a win for the municipality of Thomas. Second, there is an empty prison in rural Illinois that has plenty of room to house the detainees.  This would assuage the neurotic concerns among some, that Gitmo detainees will come and radicalize American prisoners with Islamist ideology. Since the prison is empty, and presumably the Gitmo detainees will not have contact with other prisoners, this should not be an issue and the American prison system has demostrated for decades that it can handle housing terrorists successfully.  So it is a win for those concerned with bringing the detainees to American soil.  Third, and most importantly it is a major step in the process to finally close Guantanmo Bay, which has served as the best possible recruiting poster for al Qaeda. So  it is a win for the country.

With Illinois being the home state of both the president and the Senate's second most powerful Democrat -Dick Durbin, who has been supportive of closing Guantanamo -I don't understand how conservatives will be able to go on the political attack about bringing the detainees to US soil. Though I am sure they will find a way.

UPDATE: Reponse from residents in Thomas, IL is pretty positive.

Comments

[Jay C]

I don't understand how conservatives will be able to go on the political attack about bringing the detainees to US soil.

Simple!

1. It is an initiative of the Obama Administration.
2. Terrorists are involved.
3. Success of the initiative will make the Bush Administration look bad.

What's not to understand? (Other than the overheated and hysterical/apocalyptic rhetoric)

[Gary S]

Why not just leave them where they are at ought to use Thomas for the traitors in Washington DC both Democrates and Republican

[Lisa Wolf]

I live 2 hrs north of this place and just the thought of bringing these terrorist onto American soil sickens me. They need to stay where they are. It's bad enough I don't feel safe living in my home state as it is and now they want to bring these animals here too.

Just because they are only allowed to see their attorney doesn't mean other terrorists will not try to get them out if they are on American soil.

Does the President & Dick Durbin really want to jeopardize the American people by bringing them here on American soil.

I know between the 2 of them they have to have someone within their circle of politicians who has some kind of brain.

Or maybe not.

I guess they felt they couldn't win the Olympic bid for Chicago so they figured hey why not bring Terrorist here.....there's an even trade....NOT

[evden eve nakliyat]

Why not just leave them where they are at ought to use Thomas for the traitors in Washington DC both Democrates and Republican

[branda]

Why not just leave them where they are at ought to use Thomas for the traitors in Washington DC both Democrates and Republican

[2010 winter olympics]

Doesn't it seem a little strange that we have a President from Illinois, who is sending Gitmo detainees to an Illinois prison? Why there? There are many federal max security prisons they can be sent to. I don't believe in "black helicopters and the 2nd shooter theory", but come on. Also, how many trillions of dollars have been spent in the first year of our new presidents term and still no real fix on our economy issues.

[branda]

Doesn't it seem a little strange that we have a President from Illinois, who is sending Gitmo detainees to an Illinois prison? Why there? There are many federal max security prisons they can be sent to. I don't believe in "black helicopters and the 2nd shooter theory", but come on. Also, how many trillions of dollars have been spent in the first year of our new presidents term and still no real fix on our economy issues.

[branda]

Doesn't it seem a little strange that we have a President from Illinois, who is sending Gitmo detainees to an Illinois prison? Why there? There are many federal max security prisons they can be sent to. I don't believe in "black helicopters and the 2nd shooter theory", but come on. Also, how many trillions of dollars have been spent in the first year of our new presidents term and still no real fix on our economy issues.

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