Inhofe: Closing Gitmo Lets Terrorists Win

Inhofe: Closing Detention Facility At Guantanamo Bay Lets Terrorists Win

Saturday, June 8, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), today made the following statement in response to intentions from the White House and members of the Senate to end the detention of terrorist and enemy combatants at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GITMO):

“It never ceases to amaze me that individuals continue to try and close Guantanamo Bay. It would be extremely unwise to allow the most dangerous terrorists and members of al Qaeda, including those who planned the 2001 9/11 attacks to be transferred to the U.S. These terrorists certainly cannot be allowed to infiltrate our federal prison system where they could continue to spread violent extremism from within our borders. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller said as much when it was reported that the New York synagogue bombers were recruited from within our federal prison system.

“Guantanamo bay remains the safest, most-secure facility to continue housing and trying terrorists and enemy combatants. I am unaware of any comprehensive policy plan from the Administration that articulates how to address the enormous security, logistical and legal issues before closing the detention facility at GITMO.

“It appears to me this latest push to close GITMO is because the terrorists have begun a hunger strike. Specifically, the far left has used this as a rallying cry to revive their continuing obsession with closing the base despite strong support from congress to keep GITMO open. But this misses the fundamental point. Is this hunger strike not a political act designed to attempt to change American policy? My question to the far left is: if you close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay are you not letting the terrorists win?”

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