Three detainees from the US facility in Guantánamo Bay Cuba arrived in Slovakia early Monday morning, January 25, the spokesman for the Police Corps Presidium, Martin Korch, told the TASR newswire later in the day.
Contrary to rumours, Korch said that these three were not in the convoy that went to the refugee camp in Humenné in Prešov region on Sunday. “The convoy was part of cover measures aimed at ensuring their smooth transfer,” said Korch.
He added that police won't provide any further information concerning the three prisoners. The Slovak government's decision to accept three prisoners from the Guantánamo Bay facility was announced by Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Lajčák on January 19.
Lajcak said that Slovaks can feel safe as the government has a programme for dealing with the prisoners in question that involves supervised released. The three detainees from Guantanamo represent no threat to Slovak citizens, said Keith Eddins, US charge d'affairs to Slovakia, at a news conference on January 19.
The US Government asked EU countries to help find places for people justifiably released from the Guantánamo Bay detention centre. These are prisoners for whom there is no reason to initiate a criminal prosecution but who cannot return to their home countries for serious reasons. The identity of the three is being withheld due to requests of the Slovak government. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
