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Washington, D.C., May 20 - Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) today, along with Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10), Congressman Eric Cantor (VA-07), Congressman Bob Goodlatte (VA-06), and Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), sent a letter to Governor Kaine asking him to stand with them in opposition to transferring or housing detainees from Guantanamo Bay at any locality or facility in Virginia. To view a copy of the letter, click here.

“Our primary responsibility is to protect and defend the United States of America. Many of the detainees at Guantanamo still have connections with terrorist organizations, raising significant security questions about moving these suspects to facilities within the Commonwealth of Virginia as many of the facilities are within miles of neighborhoods, military bases, and schools. I encourage Governor Kaine to stand with us in opposing the relocation of these detainees to Virginia,” said Congressman Forbes.

“Governor Kaine’s first priority should be the safety of all Virginians. Simply put: Bringing known terrorists from Guantanamo Bay to our Commonwealth poses a real danger and is irresponsible. I would hope that the Governor and other elected officials would recognize this and act in the best interest of those we represent,” said Congressman Cantor. 

“I strongly urge Governor Kaine to join us in asking the Obama Administration to not relocate the terrorists who have been held at Guantanamo Bay to any community in Virginia. There is simply no need to put Virginia families and communities at risk when we already have a high security facility for these terrorists in Guantanamo Bay,” said Congressman Goodlatte.

“I am absolutely opposed to the Guantanamo Bay detainees coming to Quantico, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or the United States.  I believe that there needs to be a national policy that clearly states these terrorists shall not be placed in the United States before closing down the Guantanamo Bay detention facility,” said Congressman Wittman.

The decision over what to do with Guantanamo detainees has been a point of heightened discussion recently, after President Barack Obama issued an executive order to close the detention facility in Cuba.

The Associated Press reported today that FBI Director Robert Mueller has concerns about releasing Guantanamo prisoners in the U.S. “The concerns we have about individuals who may support terrorism being in the United States run from concerns about providing financing, radicalizing others,” Mueller said, as well as “the potential for individuals undertaking attacks in the United States.”

In the letter to Governor Kaine, the Members noted that there is a strong possibility that detainees would be held in Virginia. In 2007, the House Armed Services Committee listed several military installations as the potential relocation point for terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay, including two in Virginia – the Naval Station Brig, Norfolk and the Marine Corps Base, Quantico.

Congressman Forbes recently introduced legislation, H.R. 1638, to prohibit the use of federal funds to transfer detainees to locations in Virginia. The bill is cosponsored by Congressman Wolf, Congressman Cantor, Congressman Goodlatte, and Congressman Wittman.