The prison commander at the Guantanamo Bay naval base has filed notice with a federal court of plans to demolish the former detention site Camp Iguana and reclaim the area for recreational use.
Prior to September 11, the camp was comprised of two cement buildings, complete with bathroom and kitchen facilities, which were rented out to sailors and their families on weekends.
Once the facilities were taken over by the prison, the compound was used to incarcerate junior war prisoners and men freed by US courts, according to military.com.
Now, the base would like the area to be cleared and returned for use by the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Unit, which is charged with planning activities and events for base residents.
The Justice Department notice to the US District Court reads, "Camp Iguana is currently in a state of disrepair and sits on property that could be utilized for other non-detention military purposes.”
In an accompanying statement, Rear Adm. Edward Cashman told the court that the camp is no longer in use, and the huts that once housed captives are “coming apart due to years of wear and tear.”
Several attorneys representing wartime captives are currently studying the base’s notice to the courts, and will decide whether or not to contest the proposal.
Years ago, detainee lawyers attained a protective order for sites at Guantanamo Bay where prisoners were kept on the basis that the sites constituted crime scenes.
Unless the new site plans are contested, the base plans to begin demolition of Camp Iguana on August 1. The specific purpose of the new buildings has not yet been announced.
