Kansas Representatives Lynn Jenkins (KS-02) and Mike Pompeo (KS-04) today sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter regarding the Obama administration’s misguided effort to move the world’s most dangerous terrorists at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) to sites around the United States, potentially including Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In the letter, Jenkins and Pompeo call on Carter to arrange a group of federal, state, and local officials from Leavenworth to visit GTMO.  The lawmakers call for the group to receive unclassified briefings on known threats and be granted as much access to information about the detainees as possible, in order to adequately understand the increased threats that would come with moving these terrorists to Fort Leavenworth.

The full text of the letter is below or may be found here.

November 9, 2015

The Honorable Ashton B. Carter

Secretary of Defense

1000 Defense Pentagon

Washington, DC 23301-1000

Dear Secretary Carter:

President Obama and his Administration appear to be intent on pursuing a deeply misguided policy of emptying the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) and transferring the detainees to prisons in the United States.  We view this as a grave strategic error, and strongly oppose these terrorists being relocated to anywhere in the United States.  GTMO is unique in its capability to hold the world’s most dangerous terrorists in an environment that is humane and safe for both detainees and guards.  As you know, GTMO has also been a huge success for our intelligence community.

One potential destination for the terrorists currently held at GTMO is the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.  If the detainees are transferred there, the dire consequences of this move will be felt by Leavenworth and the surrounding communities long after the end of the current administration.  It will be the state and local officials who will be left to deal the predictable aftermath that comes with bringing these detainees to the Leavenworth community, such as an increased risk of terror attacks and a severe strain on our relationships with allied military commanders.  It is critical that officials and residents have a complete understanding of what may be foisted upon them before a final decision is reached.

To that end, we strongly request your assistance in arranging a delegation of federal, state, and local officials from the Leavenworth area to travel to GTMO to observe the camp and its detainees and its safety measures.  We believe that state legislators, county commissioners, mayors, and other local officials have the right to completely understand what their communities will face.  These officials need to visit the GTMO facility, receive unclassified briefings of known threats, and be given as much access to information regarding the detainees as is feasible.

As it appears that a plan for closing GTMO may be released in the coming days, it is critical that this visit take place as soon as possible.  We look forward to your timely response.

Sincerely,

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