http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Island-wont-hold-terror-suspects-Govt /2006/11/17/1163266744458.html
Questions over US visit to island prison A visit by US officials has raised fears on Christmas Island that an immigration detention centre could be turned into a Guantanamo-style prison. While rejected by the federal government, Shire president Gordon Thomson's concerns follow an American visit to the Indian Ocean territory, where the government is building a new detention centre believed to be worth $240 million. "A group of about six (US defence officials) arrived by American plane and left on a commercial flight a week later ... they took photos, and prepared a report for their masters in Washington," Mr Thomson told AAP. "The guys who came here were part of the military machine, one of them gave me a card which said he was based in Virginia and that is where the CIA is." "They were looking at a Guantanamo style prison." A spokesman for Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone directed all inquiries to the Department of Immigration which immediately and categorically denied the suggestion. "Only unauthorised arrivals (refugees) will be housed there," a department spokesman said. The Australian Defence Force was not immediately able to comment. Mr Thomson said the US officials had studied Christmas Island's port, airport and hospital. "They said that they were here to make a report because they don't want to be caught flat footed in the event US assets are engaged in a humanitarian mission." Regardless of the plans for the detention centre, Mr Thomson said it was not welcomed by most islanders. "We don't want a prison on Christmas Island at all, we don't want a prison for refugees anywhere. "It's not in our psychological or economic interests." The detention centre includes possible solitary confinement cells, Mr Thomson said. "It's a very large site ... with several compounds, each of which can be isolated from all others (and) there is a cell block which looked like isolation cells ... that looked very solid and nasty." For all his opposition to the detention centre, Mr Thomson did admit there were positives for the island. "There are people who welcome the business that comes with these large projects (and) there is employment for some people, but at the end of the day that's a short term project." Human Services Minister Joe Hockey said the detention centre was needed to deter potential unauthorised refugees trying to reach Australian shores. "We want to send a strong message to all potential people smugglers that if you try to illegally land people in Australia those people will be sent to Christmas Island, they will not be able to stay on the mainland," Mr Hockey told reporters in Sydney. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
