Scott Joins Colleagues to Introduce Resolution to Detain ISIL Fighters in Guantanamo

U.S. SENATE — Following the recent announcement that U.S. Special Forces captured an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leader while carrying out Operation Inherent Resolve, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) joined Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and 13 other Senators in introducing a resolution to detain ISIL fighters at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

As the United States continues to conduct combat operations against ISIL, U.S. forces are likely to continue capturing terrorists. Guantanamo Bay was established to house individuals who engaged in, aided, abetted or conspired to commit, acts of international terrorism and should be utilized as such as our nation faces a continued threat of terrorism.

“Instead of trying to empty out Guantanamo and transfer dangerous terrorists to domestic soil in order to fulfill a campaign promise, the President should instead be focused on detaining captured ISIS fighters and other terrorists there,” Senator Scott stated. “I visited Guantanamo late last year and met the dedicated Marines who are guarding the terrorists currently held there, and can say unequivocally this is the best place on the planet for us to hold those captured overseas who wish to do us harm. The President’s refusal to do so puts our national security at risk, plain and simple.”

“Last week when I was at Guantanamo Bay I saw plenty of vacant cells,” Senator Daines stated. “Terrorists captured by U.S. forces belong in Guantanamo, a location that has played a pivotal role for collecting intelligence from detainees and keeping terrorists off the battlefield in the global war on terror. These dangerous individuals do not belong on U.S. soil, or in the custody of a nation that may allow them to return to the battlefield as we have seen before. We must ensure they don’t continue to spread radical Islam throughout the world, and Guantanamo Bay serves an integral purpose for just that.”

“There should be no confusion in the minds of our enemies that, if captured, they will be sent to the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay to be interrogated,” Senator Rubio stated. “More than seven years in, the Obama administration still does not have a coherent detention policy that will give our military and intelligence community the best opportunity to extract valuable intelligence to help defeat ISIS, Al Qaeda and other terrorist networks.  This White House would rather release terrorists from Guantanamo Bay and hope for the best.  We know recidivism rates are rising as released terrorists return to the fight. This resolution makes it clear what our policy should be.”

Cosponsors of the resolution include Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marco Rubio (R-FL),Mark Kirk (R-IL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), John Boozman (R-AR), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and David Vitter (R-LA). 

Read the full text of the resolution below

RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Senate that individuals captured
by the United States for supporting the Islamic State
of Iraq and the Levant should be detained at United States Naval Station,
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that—

(1) the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has declared war on the United States;

(2) the United States Armed Forces are currently engaged in combat operations against ISIL;

(3) in conducting combat operations against ISIL, the United States has captured and detained individuals associated with ISIL and will likely capture and hold additional ISIL detainees;

(4) following the horrific terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States determined that it would detain at United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, individuals who had engaged in, aided, or abetted, or conspired to commit, acts of international terrorism, or acts in preparation therefor, that have caused, threaten to cause, or have as their aim to cause, injury to or adverse effects on the United States, its citizens, national security, foreign policy, or economy;

(5) members of ISIL captured by the United States during combat operations against ISIL meet such criteria for continued detention at United State Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay; and

(6) all individuals captured by the United States during combat operations against ISIL that meet the criteria by their affiliation with ISIL must be detained outside the United States and its territories and should be transferred to United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay.

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Contact: Katie Waldman or Lindsey Singer