Barack Obama has announced that he intends to close the terrorist detention facility at Guantanamo (Gitmo) on the island of Cuba and move the terrorists and enemy combatants to sites in the United States. Unfortunately, for Virginia, two of the sites Obama is considering to house these terrorists are in Virginia. This should be of great concern to all Virginians including Virginia’s Governor and Attorney General.

Virginia would be importing some of the most dangerous people on earth, terrorists determined to kill Americans and destroy our way of life. Most are far more threatening than the 61 detainees released from Guantanamo over the past few years that the Pentagon says have already returned to terrorism.

Except for 60 prisoners who have been cleared for release, provided we can find countries to accept them, the remaining detainees are high-level Al-Qaeda operatives with a hand in 9-11 or other terrorist attacks; key Taliban operatives; and other Al-Qaeda facilitators and money people. Not exactly your run-of-the-mill prisoners.

Moving these terrorists to Virginia is especially troubling when you consider that neither Norfolk or Quantico were designed to house Al-Qaeda terrorists. Both sites are only minutes from major interstates, elementary schools, and hospitals. Even more frighting the naval brig at Norfolk is only 49 miles from the Surry Nuclear Power Plant and Quantico is only 60 miles from the nuclear plant at Lake Anna.

Do we really intend to house terrorists in these urban centers?

Terrorists, who do not wear uniforms, do not fight for a state and show only reckless disregard for the Geneva Conventions should not be held on the mainland.

But if President Obama is really adamant on bringing the terrorists to American soil, shouldn’t he build a facility in a remote desert away from schools and hospitals or put these terrorists in maximum security facilities equipped to handle dangerous criminals?

Congress, through the power of the purse, has the constitutional authority to prevent any potential transfer of detainees from Guantanamo to facilities in Virginia. That’s why I support a bill recently introduced by Rep. Randy Forbes to prevent any funds from being dedicated to such purposes. I also call on the Governor to use his influence with our new President to stop the transfer of terrorists to Virginia.