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Third US Senator Suggests Closing Guantanamo


Senator Patrick Leahy (file photo)
Another U.S. senator has suggested shutting down the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In an interview with CBS television Sunday, Democrat Patrick Leahy said he thinks the United States will eventually have to close Guantanamo, which he characterized as a "legal black hole." He added that, at the least, the administration should say who is being held there and why.

On Saturday, Senator Mel Martinez became the first prominent Republican to suggest closing the facility. Senator Joe Biden and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter - both Democrats - have also called for its closing.

Amnesty International recently called Guantanamo "the gulag of our time" - an assertion President Bush strongly rejects.

But when asked about closing the facility, Mr. Bush did not respond directly, saying his administration is "exploring all alternatives" for protecting America.

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