US Judge Orders Release of Chinese Prisoners at Guantanamo

by Jon Azpiri | October 7, 2008 at 05:28 pm

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A US federal judge ordered the release of 17 Chinese-Muslim prisoners who have been kept at Guantanamo Bay for nearly seven years. District Judge Ricardo Urbina said there was no evidence that the detainees, who belong to the Uighur ethnic group, posed a security risk. The prisoners will be released into the US because they fear persecution in their native China.

The decision is considered to be a defeat for the Bush administration, who sought to have the Uighur prisoners resettled in other countries.

Administration officials said they intend to file an "emergency motion" Tuesday night with the federal appeals court in Washington to block the ruling.

"This decision, we believe, is contrary to our laws, including federal immigration statutes passed by Congress," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. "The district court's ruling, if allowed to stand, could be used as precedent for other detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, including sworn enemies of the United States suspected of planning the attacks of 9-11, who may also seek release into our country."