Because They Plan On Using It!

[Lloyd Danforth]

Mar 18, 6:31 PM EDT

Feds to buy Illinois prison even without detainees


CHICAGO (AP) -- The Obama administration still wants to buy a prison in northwestern Illinois even if it's not used to hold Guantanamo Bay detainees.

A Thursday letter from the Justice Department to Republican Congressman Don Manzullo says the department would seek to purchase the facility in Thomson even if detainees weren't being considered for transfer.

But the letter also gives no indication the administration is backing away from its plan to bring detainees to Illinois.

Gov. Pat Quinn already has agreed to sell the prison to the Obama administration. But Congress has to both approve the money and change current law barring detainees from coming into the country for anything other than trial.

Obama promised during the 2008 campaign to close the Guantanamo detention facility in Cuba.

[Russell Kanning]

hey ... what's not to like
illinois is strapped for cash and the feds can print some

[lildog]

Gov. Pat Quinn already has agreed to sell the prison to the Obama administration.

I'm confused.  Is this an existing prison with prisoners already in it?  If so where are they going?

[KBCraig]

Gov. Pat Quinn already has agreed to sell the prison to the Obama administration.

I'm confused.  Is this an existing prison with prisoners already in it?  If so where are they going?

It's a completed prison that has only ever had a small contingent of prisoners there as cadre to maintain the place. The plan, at least what we know if it, is to make it a federal prison, but then turn over a small portion to the U.S. military to hold the "enemy combatants". It would operate completely separate from the BOP portion.