* Hey: How many would you like? You got nearly 300 to chose from!
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia has been approached by U.S. authorities about taking some of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba when it closes, a report said on Saturday.
A spokesman for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told The Australian newspaper any requests would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“Australia, along with a number of other countries, has been approached to consider resettling detainees from Guantanamo Bay,” the spokesman was quoted saying.
“Any determination for an individual to come to Australia would be made on a case-by-case basis.
* Newsflash:Â Israeli air force attacks Gaza Strip: witnesses
“All persons accepted to come to Australia would have to meet Australia’s strict legal requirements and go through the normal and extremely rigorous assessment processes.”
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has said he will close the detention center located at the U.S. naval station in southeastern Cuba after he assumes office.
The jail, which has come to symbolize aggressive detention practices that opened the United States to allegations of torture, currently holds about 250 detainees, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, accused of masterminding the September 11 attacks.
Under conservative former prime minister John Howard, Australia was a vocal supporter of outgoing U.S. President George W. Bush’s war on terrorism launched after September 11.
Don’t even think of it, Kevin 07. There are some things that will “hard-wire” my voting
intentions one way or another, and that is one of them.
Good plan – it could save us taxpayers the cost of Harvard educations for all these rat bastards.
Kevin Rudd, do not be the lap dog of americans who think that we want terrorists who want to kill us, dont you dare commit treason and knowingly bring into australia madmen fanatics whom were caught fighting against us, this is wrong, do not do it to the australian people. It is bad enough that the previous govt took back david hicks whom changed his name to a muslim one, yet the media never refers to him by his islamic name, we already have a notirous man whom was trained in murder and killing of non muslims. DO not think for one moment that we australians will sit back and do nothing, I will bloody get up and start marches in the street against this, i will be a vocal opponent and will do anything I can legally to expose the danger of this , do not let madmen and islamists into a un armed society. We already are sufferring from being not allowed to have our own guns, an unarmed civilian population is a slave population waiting to be taken over. Danid Hicks should have been hung for treason, its time to bring back capital punishment and hang those who act against Australia like these madmen of hicks ilk. He is no victim, he is a murderer.
Please write to Rudd and give him your sentiments. The muslim scum are writing letters to Rudd supporting this idiotic notion (bringing terrorist scum into Australia) so it is about time Australians (and NO muslim is an Australian) let their PM be aware of their feelings.