Germany says it plans to take in 2 Guantanamo inmates

Germany to take in 2 Guantanamo inmates

BERLIN — After months of U.S. prodding, Germany has agreed to take in two inmates cleared for release from Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

The United States government first asked Germany take in three inmates of Palestinian and Syrian origin in 2009, German officials said Wednesday. Germany has agreed to take in two of three men.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the two prisoners have been in Guantanamo for nine years, but they do not face criminal charges. They are expected to arrive in Germany within a few weeks, he said.

De Maiziere stressed that Germany will turn down any future requests to put up Guantanamo Bay detainees.

“We greatly appreciate Germany’s decision to resettle these two detainees,” U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters in Washington.

“This humanitarian gesture is a strong signal of Germany’s commitment to assist the United States in closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility,” he said, adding the U.S. is not disappointed that Germany is taking only two of the three.

De Maiziere came under fire in April when he announced that he would consider the U.S. request.

Several conservative politicians insisted that the United States should take responsibility for the inmates, who could end up committing crimes in Germany.

However, de Maiziere gave his assurance that national and international security authorities screened the detainees extensively before Germany granted the U.S. request.

“We are not going to bring terrorists into our country,” he said.

De Maiziere said he had to balance humanitarian, political, and security interests in his decision.

Hamburg and Rhineland-Palatinate — two of Germany’s 16 states — have agreed to take one inmate each.

De Maiziere refused to give any details on the men’s identities, saying they should be able to make a fresh start.

Toner also did not release any information or the names.

Germany has denounced Guantanamo and even asked the U.S. to close the prison.

However, Germany has dragged its feet in joining other European countries such as France, Spain, Italy and Portugal in taking in freed inmates. It has only taken in one Guantanamo Bay inmate. Turkish national Murat Kurnaz was born and raised in Germany, which he returned to in 2006.

Associated Press Writer Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin and Matt Lee in Washington contributed to this report.