The White House is set to announce later Tuesday that it will direct the federal government to acquire a nearly-vacant Illinois prison to house Guantanamo detainees, local media reported.

The Chicago Sun-Times, citing a senior administration official, reported that the White House would announce the acquisition of Thomson Correctional Centre, located in rural Illinois.
 

The Chicago Tribune reported that the facility would house between 35 and 90 detainees to be transferred from the controversial detention camp located on a US naval base on the southern tip of Cuba.
 

The decision has been months in the making, as the administration works to close the Guantanamo facility, fulfilling one of President Barack Obama’s campaign promises.

Deadline problematic
Obama has acknowledged he is likely to miss a self-imposed January 2010 deadline for closing the facility, as his administration has struggled to find a way to deal with the 210 detainees still held at the facility.
 

Defence Secretary Robert Gates said earlier this month that the administration is ready to transfer 116 detainees from Guantanamo, but it has proved difficult to find third countries to provide asylum to prisoners who would face persecution in their home countries.

Controversy
The administration has also faced stiff opposition to bringing detainees to the United States, though it announced in November it would transfer five Guantanamo prisoners accused of masterminding the September 11, 2001 attacks to New York City to face trial.
 

That decision provoked a firestorm of criticism, but the White House does have some support within Illinois for its decision to take over the Thomson facility.
 

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Senator Richard Durbin have lobbied the White House to use the Thomson prison to house Guantanamo detainees, believing it would revive the nearly empty facility and create jobs.
 

Located across the Mississippi River from Iowa in a rural area, Thomson Correctional Centre has remained essentially vacant since it was opened eight years ago due to budgetary constraints.
 

It is protected by a 12 foot (four meter) high exterior fence and a 15 foot (three meter) interior fence, which includes a dual-sided electric stun barrier.
 

Source: AFP