Ireland Mulls Taking In Two Guantanamo Prisoners

The Irish government signalled earlier this year that it would be open to taking in detainees.

Ireland is examining the possibility of taking in two Uzbek prisoners identified for resettlement from the U.S. detention camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said on Friday.

The Irish government signalled earlier this year that it would be open to taking in detainees to help facilitate President Barack Obama's order that the prison for foreign terrorism suspects be closed by the end of January.

Portugal and Italy agreed to rehouse prisoners last week while Hungary and Spain are in talks with the United States regarding the issue after European Union members said they were ready to help resettle detainees.

"They (the United States) have identified two people from Uzbek(istan) who have been in Guantanamo for some time," Martin told Newstalk radio station.

"There has been a campaign in relation to one of them. His advocates believe he was completely and wrongly brought to Guantanamo and we're currently examining those."

The U.S. government has decided the fate of about half the detainees at the Guantanamo Bay, and no more than a quarter of them will go on trial, Attorney General Eric Holder said last week.

There are 229 captives still being held at Guantanamo. The camp, opened after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, drew international criticism for holding prisoners indefinitely, many without charge.