Guantanamo visit doesn't change Lamborn's view

Prisoners at Guantanamo Bay receive better care than those in the United States and don’t merit the right to question their captivity, a U.S. Congressman from Colorado said Friday after visiting the controversial facility.

A day after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Guantanamo Bay prisoners can ask a federal judge to rule on their detention, Rep. Doug Lamborn toured the military base. He left after a six-hour visit with what he saw as confirmation that the nation’s top court was wrong.

“They are treated better from a medical standpoint, from a dietary standpoint, from a recreational standpoint, than people are at SuperMax,’’ Lamborn said, referring to the federal prison in Florence. “They get better medical care than most Americans, including members of Congress.

“Especially considering these are not U.S. citizens, they are not on U.S. soil, their rights are being met currently,’’ Lamborn said.

Justice Anthony Kennedy in the high court’s ruling said that “the laws and the Constitution are designed to survive and remain in force.” Human rights activists argue that some have at Guantanamo have been held more than six years without a hearing.

Prisoners shouted “America lies,’’ as Lamborn, a Colorado Springs Republican, toured with about nine other people from Capitol Hill and the Defense Department. He was the only member of Congress. The trip was planned weeks before the Supreme Court decision.

There are now 270 people held at Guantanamo. Lamborn said he was told that 74 of those had a direct role in the 9/11 attacks.

Habeas corpus for this class of terrorists is simply unnecessary,’’ Lamborn said. “Different judges may come up with different responses,’’ to the Supreme Court ruling, he added.

Asked whether keeping prisoners at Guantanamo might help terrorist interests abroad by painting America as the oppressor, Lamborn said “if anyone ever said that, they sure can’t say that now.”

Lamborn toured three or four cell blocks, individual cells and saw several of those held at the base.

He said that he saw evidence that those held at Guantanamo are forming “Al Qaeda-like cells” with leaders and followers. Lamborn said, he saw one “follower” go to another cell and bring out a “leader” who then counted the number in Lamborn’s group. Those guiding the group told Lamborn that that was Al-Qaeda-like behavior.

Lamborn ate the same lunch as those held at Guantanamo, a chicken sandwich with potatoes and salad, which he described as “delicious.”

Lamborn was told that interrogations at the camp are still garnering “useful intelligence.” He asked to see an interrogation, but said there were none happening at the time. He saw an interrogation room.

The room, he said, could hold about four people. There was a television and a refrigerator. Prisoners who give information during interrogations are given rewards, he said, such as a chocolate-filled snack cake similar to Ho Hos.

They also allowed to watch movies. The most popular, Lamborn said, is Harry Potter.

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