Portugal to Accept Guantanamo Detainees (Portugal News Online)

Portugal has this week surprised the European community by being the first state to officially offer to take on some of prisoners held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in a bid to assist U.S. President-elect Barack Obama in his pledge to shut down the controversial venue.

Lisbon has reached out to the future Washington administration saying it was ready to assist it in closing the camp in Cuba.

In a letter sent out to the European Union’s highest representative in foreign policy, Portugal’s Foreign Minister informed Javier Solana of his country’s intention to house Guantanamo prisoners.

The offer by Luís Amado comes in the week that a group of five accused terrorists, led by the avowed ringleader of the 2001 terror strikes on America, told a military tribunal at the U.S. Navy base they want to plead guilty, in what analysts suggest is an attempt for these specific prisoners to attain martyrdom by being put to death by the U.S.

However, it appears Portugal will not be housing any of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners who have been formally accused of involvement in the September 11 or other terrorist attacks.

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