China warns Swiss government against offering Uighur inmates at Guantanamo a new home
By APFriday, January 8, 2010
China to Swiss: Don’t take Uighurs from Guantanamo
GENEVA — China has warned the Swiss government against accepting two Guantanamo inmates as part of President Barack Obama’s effort to close the detention center.
The Chinese government said Friday the two ethnic Uighurs are terrorist suspects who should face Chinese justice.
Switzerland is hoping to curry favor with the Obama administration after last year’s drawn-out dispute over wealthy Americans who hid billions of dollars from the Internal Revenue Service in Swiss bank accounts.
The Alpine nation agreed in December to relocate one Uzbek inmate held for over seven years at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay in eastern Cuba.
But the Swiss Justice Ministry says it has yet to make a final decision on two Chinese Uighurs.
