US mulls sending Daesh prisoners to Gitmo: report

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

The Donald Trump administration is evaluating the possibility of sending hundreds of Daesh terrorists detained in Syria to a military prison in Iraq and prominent detainees to Guantanamo Bay, according to a report published Thursday.

The individuals who may be sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, include two members of the Daesh cell known as the "Beatles," NBC reported, citing five anonymous U.S. officials. Alexandar Amon Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh were two of the four "Beatles," a group that rose to global infamy through grisly execution videos Daesh posted to the Internet.

Their beheaded victims include American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, as well as two British aid workers.

Those who would be sent to Iraqi prisons under the plan would be held in Iraqi custody, but NBC reported the U.S. would seek to retain the right to prosecute them if their home countries continue to refuse to accept them. The U.S. would further want to have access to them for interrogations.

Critics of the Guantanamo plan, including predominantly Democratic members of Congress, say they should instead be tried in U.S. federal court. If they are sent to Guantanamo they would likely be held indefinitely without charge.

Detainees who would be sent to Cuba or Iraq are currently held by the U.S.-backed SDF in Syria.

The SDF is currently holding about 600 Daesh prisoners, many of whom are foreign fighters, according to NBC.

Washington has been trying to get their home countries to take them but has been met with overwhelming opposition. So far only a handful of nations have agreed, including Lebanon and Macedonia.

Kazakhstan and Tunisia have shown some willingness to take in prisoners, and Tunisia in particular is willing to take 150 prisoners but wants compensation, NBC reported, citing two senior U.S. defense officials.

If the U.S. chooses to send them to Iraq a potential site is the al Asad Airbase in Anbar province. But NBC stressed that while the plan has been discussed with Iraqi officials, Baghdad has not given the go-ahead.