Posted on 02/14/2002 2:09:12 AM PST by Arkle
GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- Some of the detainees at this American base are not Muslim but Christian, U.S. military officials say, describing inmates as members of a "global community" who in some cases may be sympathetic to groups other than the Taliban or al-Qaida.
"I personally did not expect . . . some of the nations that are represented in Camp X-Ray," Lt. Col. Bill Costello, a spokesman for the joint task force in charge of the detention camp, said Tuesday.
Since the first prisoners arrived from Afghanistan just over a month ago, the number of nationalities represented has risen from a handful to at least 26, with a dozen or more languages and dialects spoken.
The military is holding 254 men at the naval base in eastern Cuba. A handful of translators flown in to help interrogate the detainees and convey their needs has expanded to about two dozen linguists.
U.S. officials have not named all the countries of origin, citing security concerns and requests from governments.
"If I could release the 26 countries that have been affected by the al-Qaida, some of those countries may be shocking to people -- the languages, the various backgrounds," Costello said. He added, "There is a global community out at Camp X-Ray."
The majority are Muslim, but there are Christians among them, Costello said.
Another spokesman, Maj. Stephen Cox, said earlier that there were "other religions" in addition to the Muslim faith, implying that there are at least three represented at Camp X-ray.
In the most detailed breakdown, a senior Pentagon official said last week that when there were 158 detainees at the camp, they included about 50 Saudis, about 30 Yemenis, about 25 Pakistanis, eight Algerians, three Britons and small numbers from Egypt, Australia, France, Russia, Belgium, Sweden and other countries.
Denmark said Tuesday that a Danish citizen was among the 34 detainees who arrived Monday. The foreign ministry said it received the news through the International Red Cross, which had visited the suspect in Afghanistan. It said that Denmark has requested U.S. permission to visit him as soon as possible.
The hastily built temporary detention camp now has 320 cells.
"The inn is almost full," said Army Col. Terry Carrico. The military has asked Congress for approval to build a semi-permanent prison that could have up to 2,500 cells.
Investigators are interrogating prisoners at all hours but are frustrated by the lack of information about the detainees themselves. Costello echoed other military officials who said detainees often change their stories.
On Sunday, a U.S. military official said the number of detainees at Camp X-Ray whose allegiance had not been established was larger than the number determined to be members of the Taliban or al-Qaida members.
Some of the men may belong to groups other than the Taliban or al-Qaida, officials said.
Officials said investigators working in Kandahar have selected prisoners for Guantanamo based on their potential value as intelligence sources, leaving the most intensive questioning in the hands of investigators here.
yikes...thats really gonna irk me today too...christian terrorists??? yikes...i know the lord doesnt favor them
And do it in the name of God.... they are deceived.
Funny how God claims to know who and how to punish the wicked, while letting the "good guys" go free, but these guys think He cannot do it without their help. If God was against us, it is doubtful he would destroy the righteous along with the wicked. We have a crowd here who believe God punishes the son, for the sins of the fathers... not so says God... He said he was going to put an end to that saying...
I can easily see overly religious type of any bent getting up in arms about the "sinners" in the world as THEIR weirdo group perceives them... And folks who will not leave judgement up to the ONE who is qualified, often take matters into their own hands... and I am NOT talking about self defense... I am talking about folks who think it is right to judge, condemn, and attack those who don't behave "right" in their view.
We have enviro terrorists here in the USA who have proudly taken credit for burning down buildings, in protest against the military industrial complex.. today they probably call it the "hegemony" of American power.
We have religious nuts bombing clinics... ostensibly to save lives, while violating the law themselves and harming others... We have aids activists out trying to spread their disease amongst the hetero community. there is no end to it.
No matter how pure or corrupt the idealogy, there is some nutcase who takes it beyond the pale. It does NOT surprise me that there are some folks who CLAIM to be christians who would dare to betray their nation, their faith and their fellow man by such acts... but it does make me sad to hear it.
yep...like i said the lord wont favor those who claim to kill in his name...the fact that so called christian's who do these things is disturbing alone as for TV preachers there all the same false prophet money stealing rapists
Sounds like FERTILIZER to me.
Today they'll say they're Hindu, tomorrow Wicans.
The only thing we can tell from the continued changing stories is that they
are like demoncRATs in their ability to tell the truth.
Sympathetic Christians? - never knew such a thing existed - either they believe in the deity of Christ or they dont - being sympathetic doesnt make them Christians - It makes them taliban who understand the pickle they are in and hope to build some good will sentiment knowing WE are Christians.
Why in Gods name did W bring them to Gitmo ? - it makes no sense
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