Gitmo Prisoners Transferred Sans British Approval

Posted on Jun 12, 2009

Flickr / LuxTonnerre

From Guantanamo Bay to Heaven on Earth: An aerial view of the island of Palau, where 13 Uighur prisoners have been transferred.

An embarrassed London is reviewing the legal basis of its relations with Bermuda following the transfer of four Guantanamo prisoners—a group of Chinese Muslims known as Uighurs—to Britain’s paradisiacal overseas territory. The men have been sent there as foreign guest workers, but apparently British officials never got the memo.

The Guardian:

Britain is to review the legal basis of its relations with Bermuda following a transatlantic row over the resettlement of Guantánamo detainees on the Caribbean island.

The US transfer to Bermuda of four Chinese Muslims, known as Uighurs, represents an acute embarrassment for the British government, which is supposed to oversee the foreign and security policy of the British overseas territory.

In angry telephone exchanges with Bermuda’s prime minister, Ewart Brown, UK officials have contested his right to negotiate the transfer of the four Uighurs from US custody without consulting Britain.

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Also check out how the Chinese are reacting to news that 13 Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo have been resettled on Palau, and how islanders there feel about their new neighbors:

AP:

They came from a land of scorching deserts, snowcapped mountains, camels and mosques. Now after several miserable years imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay, 13 Muslims from China will try to resettle on the tiny Pacific nation of Palau — a land of lush beach resorts.

Some residents said Friday they are afraid of the former prisoners, while others worried they won’t adjust to life here.

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