[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21802]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     DELAY GUIDELINES FOR THE POTENTIAL RELEASE OF BTIF TERRORISTS

  (Mr. KIRK asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, the administration is preparing to establish 
guidelines for the review and potential release of Taliban and al Qaeda 
terrorists held at the Bagram Theater Internment Facility, BTIF, in 
Afghanistan. This facility holds over 500 of the most dangerous Taliban 
and al Qaeda terrorists captured on the Afghan battlefield.
  According to The Washington Post and The New York Times, each 
detainee will be given a counselor to grant rights and to review their 
potential release procedures. The press reports that the new guidelines 
were approved with a brief and limited congressional review. We know 
over 50 detainees released from Guantanamo Bay resumed jihad against 
Americans. The release of terrorists from the Bagram facility will form 
a clear and present danger to Americans serving in Afghanistan.
  I urge Members to sign our letter to Secretary Gates, asking him to 
delay the release of these guidelines until Congress holds hearings and 
especially until all of our soldiers in Afghanistan are briefed on this 
potential danger.

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