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INSIDE GITMO: An Exclusive Tour Of The Most Notorious Prison On Earth
This single airstrip on the southwestern edge of Cuba is one of the only ways into Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
Defense1 min readThe detention camp was opened in 2002 to hold captives from America's War On Terror. Images of prisoners in orange jumpsuits from the temporary facility at Camp X-Ray are what most people picture when they think of Guantanamo.
Camp Delta succeeded X-Ray as a more long-term place to hold up to 612 detainees.
Parts of Camp Delta too have been abandoned, like this area still housing a rusty exercise machine. They will remain untouched as possible evidence for investigations of wrongdoing.
Camp Delta gave way to Guantanamo's newest facilities, Camp V and Camp VI, where the majority of detainees are housed today.
Immediately behind the prison gate are boxes holding that day's lunch. Food is shuttled over three times a day from a large kitchen facility, delivered in these containers filled partially with boiling water to keep hot food hot.
My escort consisted of six very tense guards.
This is the inside of one of the unused detainee cell block pods. Cell doors are rarely locked for compliant detainees.
Each pod contains a common room or living area. Prison officials stated that food distribution in each pod is handled by one nominated detainee.
Foreign language papers sit right outside the common areas and are distributed by guards upon request.
According to Guantanamo officials, this empty container houses a TV in occupied areas. Some containers have an extra slot for a PS3 or DVD player.
This is the inside of a cell in one of the detainee pods.
Typical detainee toiletries.
The prison showers.
There is a full Arabic library available to detainees.
The library also has books of puzzles ...
Lots of DVDs ...
And video games.
Prison officials say hardcover Korans are constantly renewed and distributed by the Cultural Advisor.
A popular art class is held in one now-vacant pod. Life Skills and English classes are not nearly as popular, officials say.
A painting by one of the detainees.
This is the 'Super Rec' yard installed for $750,000. During my visit, detainees complained that the field was not level.
According to prison officials, detainees were allowed 22 hour access to the yard prior to the hunger strike. Only 15 detainees currently have 22 hour access.
A large supply of water is on hand for detainees and everyone else to guard against the heat and sun.
The detainee medical center can accommodate all but extreme trauma and surgery, in which case the base hospital would be used. The staff here wear alias name tags they say provides a 'human connection.'
'JTF PAO' means 'Joint Task Force Public Affairs Office.' The name tag covers must normally be worn any place staff members may come in contact with detainees to keep them from exploiting the information.
A sign on the door reminds staff to respect prayer times.
This is Camp V's "lockdown" section, where non-compliant detainees face much greater restrictions.
Guards in these areas wear protective suits and face shields to protect them from 'Splashings' — when detainees fling styrofoam cups filled with feces, semen, and urine.
A guard in Camp V's lockdown section delivers food to a detainee on a sliding tray through a slot on the door.
And that's the extent of public knowledge about Guantanamo today.
A detainment center that used to be worse, and now is apparently somewhat better.
But the real problem with Guantanamo Bay goes beyond the treatment of detainees ...
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