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Lawmakers urge Ritter not to accept Gitmo prisoners

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact), Ed Sealover, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 23, 2009 at 3:41 p.m.
Updated January 23, 2009 at 3:41 p.m.

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Republican lawmakers today signed petitions protesting a possible transfer of Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Colorado, saying the state shouldn't be a dumping ground for terrorists.

"The type of terrorists these would be, I'd be ill at ease if I lived in Florence or Canon City or Pueblo West," said Republican Sen. Ken Kester of Las Animas "I don't think we need 200 or 300 terrorists in Colorado. They will infiltrate the other convicts that are there."

President Barack Obama announced Thursday he would close the Guantanamo Bay prison, located on an American naval base in Cuba, that has held suspected terrorists since the start of the war in Iraq.

One option to house some or all of the prisoners would be Supermax, the maximum-security federal penitentiary in Fremont County in Colorado, built to house the country's worst prisoners.

Gov. Bill Ritter said he's not asking Obama to send the 243 detainees to Colorado, but he would not oppose it.

"It is a facility designed for just that kind of prisoner. We already have really extreme terrorists who are housed there," Ritter said. "And I don't think it's appropriate for somebody like me, first of all, who has supported the president's decision to close Guantanamo Bay to say: 'Not in my backyard.'"

Though Supermax's inmates have included Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and the terrorists involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, many GOP legislators say prisoners now in Gitmo are an entirely different concern.

They are enemy combatants who could pose a threat to national security and are therefore better suited for a Department of Defense detention facility.

By the time legislators began leaving the Capitol for the weekend, most Republicans had signed the petition, as had three Democratic senators: Jim Isgar of Hesperus, Abel Tapia of Pueblo and Paula Sandoval of Denver.

Rep. Cory Gardner, a Yuma Republican who is circulating the petition with Kester, said he hopes to hold hearings on the matter.

But Ritter said it is far too soon to take such defensive action, especially because the relocation process is expected to last 12 to 18 months.

House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, called the petition effort "political grand-standing." Gitmo prisoners pose no greater threat to the communities surrounding the prisons than the ones who already are there, he said.

Gardner remarked: "I'm glad the Democrats are standing for bringing terrorists into Colorado."

Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, argued Supermax has been understaffed for years by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and doesn't even have a fence around it. She would prefer the Obama administration send the prisoners to a military facility like Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, she said.

"Florence should be an option evaluated after we exhaust military options," said McFadyen, whose district includes the prison.

U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-San Luis Valley, said he would want to consult with local officials near the prison.

Frankly, I think the federal prisons are pretty safe," Salazar said. "I think we have to look at what it means for Colorado."

Kansas Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Republican U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, who both said they don't want them at Leavenworth.

Several members of Colorado's congressional delegation also came out against moving the detainees here.

U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, criticized Ritter for encouraging Obama to close the facility. He thinks it should be kept open.

Comments

  • January 23, 2009

    3:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    leavemealone writes:

    Yeah right....like Ritter would sin against President B. Hussein Obama.

  • January 23, 2009

    3:54 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    leavemealone writes:

    A key question facing Obama's new administration is what to do with the 245 prisoners still confined at Guantanamo. That means finding new detention facilities for hard-core prisoners while trying to determine which detainees are harmless enough to release.

    At least 18 former Guantanamo detainees have "returned to the fight" and another 43 are suspected of resuming terrorist activities, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said on Jan. 13. He declined to provide the identity of the former detainees or what their terrorist activities were.

    ....Obama hasn't got a clue!

  • January 23, 2009

    3:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ISKIFREELY writes:

    Said Republican Sen. Ken Kester of Las Animas "I don't think we need 200 or 300 terrorists in Colorado. They will infiltrate the other convicts that are there."

    Clearly, Rep. Kester isn't very familiar with the concept of Supermax. There isn't exactly a 'yard'. The prisoners are locked in their cells for 23 hours a day. NO contact with other prisoners. Cry wolf on your own time and fix the roads.

  • January 23, 2009

    4:09 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    wyhammertime writes:

    Just wave a few OBAMA bucks under Ritter's nose and whamo you have terrorists in your back yard !!! I can't belive that goverment is so dumb and blind to this matter !! They returned to their terrorist ways hello anyone in there can't you see what might happen !! But then again has the goverment made a wise move in the last few months ????

  • January 23, 2009

    4:11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HankReardon writes:

    LeftAlone,
    You and these Reps. don't want answers. You're not used to getting answers after the last 8 years. You just want to gripe, gripe, gripe...

  • January 23, 2009

    4:11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    missmilehi writes:

    I read an article this morning that said the EU countries that were the loudest to shout about closing Gitmo are now the quietest about accepting them in their countries. Something about "no terrorists allowed". The article said that since the ones that will be released can't go to their home countries (for security purposes...?) they will have to take up residence somewhere else - but none of the countries that insisted we release them are now willing to take them.

    I wish I could post the link but alas, the article has been removed from the site...

  • January 23, 2009

    4:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    joecode writes:

    He fears that terrorists would contaminate the other prisoners with propaganda? Ha! You're going to have to separate them to keep them alive. Our boys will tear them to shreds.

  • January 23, 2009

    4:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Elwood writes:

    Don't accept the terrorists unless the fed's agree to give us money and personnel to get rid of our illegals.

  • January 23, 2009

    4:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HankReardon writes:

    missmilehi,
    I think this is the link to the article headlined:

    "Europe slow to offer new home to Gitmo inmates"

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/a...

  • January 23, 2009

    4:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    missmilehi writes:

    Oh here it is:

    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/...

  • January 23, 2009

    4:23 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    missmilehi writes:

    Yah! Thanks Hank.

  • January 23, 2009

    4:45 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Bonji writes:

    So Republicans were all for immorally detaining these people for years in Cuba but now bringing them to the home state is an issue? Why would it be a problem to put them in a max security prison? You think they'll be able to easily break out? It is time to get them in the legal system and to take care of either prosecuting them or sending them home.

  • January 23, 2009

    4:45 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    mrwiizrd writes:

    "ISKIFREELY writes:

    Cry wolf on your own time and fix the roads."

    LOL!

  • January 23, 2009

    4:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Newenergycommie writes:

    We have a big hole in the desert in Harry Reed's home state of Nevada. Yucca Mountain was designed to hold nuclear waste maybe it can be retro fitted to hold these wonderful folks.

  • January 23, 2009

    4:53 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    denverrose writes:

    Are you guys in dreamland or what? Thousands of emails were sent to him on who he should nominate for Senate but did he pay ANY attention? NO... the man refuses to hear anything said to him. Ritter likes the idea that he might be a maverick willing to go as far out of the box as he can, but since it is for Obama he will do this for him... his Obamassiah. He'll never go against any request he makes.

  • January 23, 2009

    5:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    gopbodybagz writes:

    there are many terrorists already housed at florence, including the "unibomber."
    another sad republican strategy.
    you folks focus on your passe' ideologies. the rest of us have a nation to rebuild with or without you.

  • January 23, 2009

    5:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncos1 writes:

    The argument that there are already terrorists housed at Supermax doesnot fly. We do not need the terrorists from Gitmo in Colorado period. What is this Governor thinking? I guess he will do anything for the great messiah. gopbodybagz, I don't understand. Why do you Dems feel our country needs to be rebuilt. Thats usually what socialists do to countries. Do you and your ilk want to change the constitution too?

  • January 23, 2009

    5:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jbowen43 writes:

    We spent a fortune on the Supermax facility to house prisoners such as these. Use it and quit whining. There will likely be very few convicted of anything anyway. Most of those down there now aren't guilty of anything.

  • January 23, 2009

    5:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncos1 writes:

    jbowen43,

    Not guilty of anything? Shooting our soldiers isn't enough? Their the enemy, thats why their in gitmo.

  • January 23, 2009

    5:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HankReardon writes:

    Oh, Bronco, I forgot they were Cuba's prisoners and not ours. Funny that we use an island of Cuba's for our dirty work. Is it Cuba's war? Is Cuba even an ally of ours? I guess if you want prisoners, you gotta house 'em yourself.

  • January 23, 2009

    6:01 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    gopbodybagz writes:

    Broncos1:
    i respectfully disagree. perhaps in your world our country is in tip-top shape, however a majority in our democracy said in november that things are a bit askew and in need of repair.

    the only threat of socialism lies in the myopic pinings of those no longer wielding power in this great nation.

    further, my friend, on jan 19th @ 12:01 pm we demonstrated that our constitution works very well. very well, indeed.

  • January 23, 2009

    6:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncos1 writes:

    HankReardon,

    News flash, Guantanamo belongs to the U.S.. So we're already housing them on U.S. soil. It just happens to be on the island of Cuba. I do know that Cuba is not our ally, but they have nothing to do with this.

  • January 23, 2009

    6:16 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    DinahLord writes:

    The same day that President Obama signed the Executive Order mandating the closure of Guantanamo it was announced that not only had a former detainee returned to the battlefield - he was now a major al Qaeda deputy in Yemen suspected of planning an attack on our Embassy in Sanaa - a sophisticated truck bomb attack that killed 19 and wounded scores.

    Yemen is famous for their catch and release program for terrorists. Yemen is truly their safe haven in the middle east. Getting to Yemen is like getting a "Get out of jail free" card for the radical Islamists.

    It is important to note that approximately 50% of the detainees remaining in Gitmo are from Yemen.

    Oh, and did I mention that Yemen is Osama Bin Laden's ancestral home? It is.

    Attacks on prisons by al Qaeda to release their fellow jihadists are too numerous to list here. What do you think they were doing at that school in Beslan? Beslan had been used by Ossetian militia (Christian) as an internment camp for Ingush civilians (Sunni Muslims) during the 1992 Ossetian-Ingush conflict, and it was chosen as a target because of this connection.

    Don't paint a bull's eye on the back of the people in this state.

  • January 23, 2009

    6:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HankReardon writes:

    Bronco,
    Very convenient. US soil on Cuba? Sounds like the same old 20th Century spin to me.
    Do we also have any US soil in Saudi Arabia?

  • January 23, 2009

    6:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    snuffalupagus writes:

    Heres what we do w/ the terrorist. Ever see "Running man" w/ Ahnuld? There you go..

  • January 23, 2009

    6:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    farsidefan writes:

    dinah,
    That guy was released to the Saudi's. They put him through some kind of rehab program. They released him, not Yemen. He then went to Yemen. He was given to the Saudi's ( Bush family friends ) under Bush's watch.

    Supermax was built to handle thiese types of severe individuals. Are they guilty ? Time will tell. I just know that now we are treating POW's according to the Geneva Convention. We are a civilized country.
    Interrogation must be done according to the Army Field Manual.

  • January 23, 2009

    8:06 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Shadow writes:

    Well Bob, the oath would probably be the same one the dems sign. Oh wait now that the liberals are in charge dissent is a bad thing.

    Super max was not designed for these types of people. Nor is it where prisoners are confined 23 hours aday.

    It is true that we would spend more money having to protect these terrorist while in prison from other prisoners. More tax money to defend those who want to kill us, real smart.

    Seeing how Europe and the middle east do not want them and they cried along with liberals about these criminals i.e. TERRORIST. Maybe we should think of them as poor souls who have lost their way and need rehabilitation. I am sure that the generous hearts and nature of the uniting party would be more then happy to accept them into their own homes to house and feed untill they can find a jury of their peers to judge them.

  • January 24, 2009

    5:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    DinahLord writes:

    Farsidefan-

    It's George Bush's fault.

    That's it? That's all you got?

    I will say this:

    Al-Shihri lied to get released. It's called taquiyya and is part of the Islamic religion and al Qaeda training manuals. Lucky for al-Shihri it worked and all the lefties were happy he was released. Weren't they? Wasn't there a great hue and cry raised when detainees were released from Gitmo with full-throated calls for more?

    You can't have it both ways. You can't cry to get these enemy combatants released and then blame George Bush when something goes wrong after they are.

    So what if he was released to the Saudis and then fled to Yemen?

    This further proves my point. Middle eastern terrorist rehab programs are like swiss cheese they are so full of loopholes. Why would we want to release these enemy combatants to them? When the recidivism rate is on the rise - mainly because only the harder core cases are left.

    But then again, these enemy combatants are not POW and if you can't understand that distinction after all this time and public discussion- well, good luck to you.

    P.S. I'm not worried about the Supermax being stormed. I worry about local hospitals and schools being taken over ala the hotels in Mumbai. Oh, btw - what was one of the demands of the Mumbai bombers? RELEASE OF PRISONERS.

  • January 26, 2009

    10:45 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    law1 writes:

    Why not? Just a few miles south of Denver, Colorado Springs is already home to extremists. How else do we explain Tancredo?