Friday, October 2, 2009

Lawmakers ban transfer of Gitmo detainees to US

 
The US House of Representatives have voted to ban the transfer of detainees from Guantanamo Bay to the US, and the release of abuse photos in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The measure, sponsored by Republican Representative Harold Rogers as part of the 2010 Homeland Security Department budget, passed by a vote of 258 to 163, attracting support from nearly all the chamber's Republicans, as well as 88 Democrats.

The measure, which has not been adopted by the Senate and would have to be approved by the higher chamber to become law, also seeks to prevent ex-detainees from being granted any immigration benefits.

In addition to banning the transfer of detainees to the United States, the measure also bans the release of photos showing detainee abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Though US President Barack Obama initially supported the release of the images, some of which are previously unseen photos from the abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, he changed his mind earlier this year, deciding that their release could endanger US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
 
 

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