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Source: Reuters -
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US Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged in an interview
that it would be difficult to meet the Obama administration's
January 22 deadline for closing the Guantanamo detention
camp.
Asked directly whether that deadline would be met, Gates told ABC's
This Week program, "It's going to be tough."
Recent reports have suggested the administration may not meet the
deadline because of legal, political and diplomatic issues
involving the detainees at the controversial prison at a US naval
base in Cuba.
There are still some 223 detainees at the facility set up by the
Bush administration in 2002 to hold foreign terrorism suspects
captured after US-led forces invaded Afghanistan.
Some detainees are expected to be transferred abroad while others
could face charges in US military tribunals or in American
courtrooms.
The Justice Department said three detainees had been sent to
Ireland and Yemen.
Gates said, "I actually was one of those who said we should (set a
deadline) because I know enough from being around this town that if
you don't put a deadline on something, you'll never move the
bureaucracy.
"But I also said and then if we find we can't get it done by that
time but we have a good plan, then you're in a position to say it's
going to take us a little longer but we are moving in the direction
of implementing the policy that the president set," he said.
An administration official said on Saturday the White House was
close to selecting a location on US soil to house some
detainees.
"We are doing everything we can to close it by the (January) date,"
the official said, adding, "We are in the final stages of locating
a secure facility in the US where detainees can be held."
Republicans have criticized Obama for wanting to close Guantanamo
since it is already set up for detention and trials.
Most Democrats have backed the overall plan to close Guantanamo,
pointing to international criticism of the detention camp and
concerns the prison has provided a rallying cry to militant groups
like al Qaeda.
