Obama to unveil plan to close Guantanamo prison

23 February 2016, 3:31 pm

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President Barack Obama is expected Tuesday to make a final push to close the controversial US prison at Guantanamo Bay, hoping to honor a glaringly unfulfilled campaign promise.

With less than a year left in office, Obama will unveil options for closing Guantanamo in a statement at 1530 GMT, according to White House officials.

Around 90 suspected jihadists remain at Guantanamo, a facility which once housed upwards of 700 inmates and has become synonymous around the world with torture, indefinite detention and orange jumpsuits.

For years, Obama’s efforts to close the site have been thwarted by Republican lawmakers, many of whom see it as a useful tool in combating terror.

— AFP