WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today released the following statement on the President’s decision to transfer detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center (Gitmo) to Thomson, Illinois:

"While I am pleased we were able to keep the Administration from sending these terrorists to Ft. Leavenworth, I fail to see how moving them to any American community is better than where they are now. This decision is one of all risk and no benefit to the American people."

Senator Roberts, a former Marine, visited Gitmo in 2005 as the then Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Roberts’ efforts to block relocating detainees to Ft. Leavenworth began nearly a year ago.

In January, Roberts joined U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) in introducing legislation to study the cost and feasibility of re-locating detainees from Gitmo. The bill also required the President to give 90 days notice before closing the facility. U.S. Representative Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) introduced companion legislation in the House.

In February, Senator Roberts supported legislation to block funding for the rushed transfer of detainees to the mainland in 2009. In May, this legislation was signed into law.

In late May, Roberts toured the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth to see firsthand the dangers to the community and those that live and work on the Fort. Following this tour, he held a townhall meeting to listen to the concerns of residents.

In August, Senator Roberts condemned the notion of moving the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Ft. Leavenworth, KS amid Obama Administration statements indicating Ft. Leavenworth was under consideration not only to house the detainees, but also to be the site for the federal criminal trials and military commissions to prosecute terrorism suspects.

Roberts then spoke with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Policy

Philip Carter and expressed extreme displeasure with the rumor that Ft. Leavenworth was under consideration.

Roberts had said then, "The 100 most dangerous terrorists in the world will not be moved to Ft. Leavenworth on my watch."

Later in August, Senators Roberts and Brownback, and U.S. Representatives Lynn Jenkins, Dennis Moore (D-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) sent a letter to invite the President and his Gitmo task force to Ft. Leavenworth to see firsthand that housing detainees there or using it as the site for the federal trials and military commissions is dangerous for the community and logistically unreasonable.

Following little response from Administration officials, Senators Roberts and Brownback placed legislative "holds" on key Administration appointees to the Departments of Defense and Justice until they received answers from the White House regarding press reports that decisions had been made to locate Guantanamo Bay detainees in Leavenworth, Kansas or Standish, Michigan.

In conjunction with the holds, the Senators requested either assurances that Leavenworth, Kansas was not an option, or answers to several questions regarding the safety and logistics involved.

The Senators were then able to present to the Administration the concerns of many Kansans regarding the challenges and obstacles to moving detainees to Fort Leavenworth, along with the severe negative impact it would have on the educational mission of the Fort and relations with foreign nations. Based on this good faith dialogue, the Senators received assurances detainees would not be transferred to Fort Leavenworth.

Finally, in September, Senators Roberts and Brownback removed legislative holds on key Administration appointees to the Departments of Defense and Justice following this dialogue with Administration officials.

"In response to serious concerns from local, state, and community leaders, we fought the dangerous decision to send detainees to Ft. Leavenworth, and we won. I remain opposed to moving these terrorists to the mainland and will continue to condemn efforts to place public relations above the security concerns of the American people."

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