Guantanamo must close now

7.24.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 11th Jun 2006

Prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay

Three suicides at Guantanamo must lead to its closure, and if not the US response on calling the suicides an 'act of warfare' and 'a good PR move' shows why it should.

This weekend two Saudis and a Yemeni hung themselves in their solitary cells. This has led to more and more countries calling for the 460 to be tried or released and the camp closed. I am glad Peter Hain and the British Government have now come out in favour of closure, though one has to wonder why it has taken them so long.

Guantanamo and all it stands for, and the rendition flights and other actions in Iraq, and Afghanistan, breed terrorism far more than fighting it. The Liberal Democrats have taken by far the most sensible line on Iraq, Guantanamo and terrorism of all three of the political parties - I was pleased to see Sir Menzies is planning to visit Guantanamo to highlight the problems there in the near future.