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Taliban and
al Qaeda prisoners moved
By Sheldon Yoder
Taliban
and al Qaeda prisoners are being transported to a remote U.S. military
base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The 45 square mile Guantanamo Bay
complex sits on the edge of cliffs high above the Caribbean Sea.
More than 3000 U.S. military members, civilians and their families
live there.
The temporary compound in which they are being housed consists of
chain-link cages with tin roofs and cement floors. Human rights
groups have complained about the treatment of the detainees and
the U.S. government's refusal to grant them prisoner-of-war status.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has defended the government's
choice, saying they will not be handled as prisoners of war because
they are "unlawful combatants" and therefore have no rights
under the Geneva Convention. He insists the detainees will still
be treated in a manner consistent with the terms of the Geneva Convention.
"Each day the detainees are given culturally-appropriate meals.
They have daily opportunities to shower, exercise and receive medical
attention," Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said, as reported
on CNN.com.
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