Threat of Suicide, Permanent Tension at Guantanamo Prison

Washington, Apr 26. -The threat of suicide has triggered chronic tension at the US detention and torture center in the naval base of Guantanamo, The New York Times revealed.

Nearly twenty prisoners have attempted suicide since they were taken to the base, located in US-occupied territory in eastern Cuba.

The NYT report refers to cases like that of Ali Abdullah Ahmed, from Yemen, who hung himself along with two other inmates in June 2006, starting a series of deaths that have added fuel to the debate on the issue.

The Pentagon justifies the suicides as "acts of asymmetric war" by those seeking martyrdom.

However, critics of the prison consider it a reflection of despair among men with little hope for a fair trial or for being released.

The death of one inmate must make the world open its eyes and demand the closing of the base, they have said.

Ahmedâ�Ös classified file said he was on a hunger strike, failing to cooperate with interrogators and with a record of aggressive behavior. But there have been international denunciations of the torture used to get the inmatesâ�Ö confessions and of the prisonâ�Ös subhuman conditions.

Suicide is currently a tactic often discussed by the inmates, constantly feared by their captors.

Cables released by Wikileaks on Sunday contained details of over 700 interrogations and evidence gathered by the United States on the alleged terrorists.

At least 604 inmates have been transferred out of Guantanamo, and another 172 remain there.

During his electoral campaign, President Barack Obama vowed to close the prison, created in 2002 for alleged terrorists captured mostly in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In January 2009, Obama signed an executive order to close the prison within a year, but two and a half years later he is yet to keep his promise. (Prensa Latina)