Captive's library in Guantanamo

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A "reading room" for Guantanamo captives in camp six which has triggered controversy. It has been called: "the reading room with no books.
A "reading room" for Guantanamo captives in camp six which has triggered controversy. It has been called: "the reading room with no books.[1]

The library made available to captive's held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba, is notable for the controversy it has stirred.

Access to books, particularly the Harry Potter series, is widely described as a sign that the conditions for the captives has improved.[2][3][4][5]

The Department of Defense reports that Guantanamo captives have access to 3,500 volumes, though they are attempting to increase the collection to 10,000–20,000[3][6][7]

Guantanamo captives such as David Hicks reported that the "reading room" did not contain any reading material itself.[1] They have to "order" books in advance.[6] According to the Library Journal the Associated Press reported that the captives have been known to use the books to pass messages to each other. Now each book is checked when it was returned. Captives who break this rule lose their library privileges.

Popular books and authors include the Harry Potter series, Agatha Christie mysteries, Khalil Gibran, self-help manual Don't be Sad[6] and the Lord of the Rings.[8]

[edit] Letter from "Abdul Aziz"

On July 22, 2007 Andy Worthington published an article which quoted extensively from a recently declassified letter from a Guantanamo captive identified as "Abdul Aziz".[9][10] The surname of the author of the letter was withheld.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Jonathan Pearlman. "Hicks's window on the world", Sydney Morning Herald, November 28, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  2. ^ "Pols: Gitmo Conditions Have Improved", Fox News, Monday, June 27, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  3. ^ a b Andrew Selsky. "Guantanamo Inmates Turn to Library Books: Guantanamo Inmates Achieve a Measure of Escape Through Library Books; Nonfiction Most Popular", ABC News, September 24, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  4. ^ Rachel Williams. "Terrorist detainees spellbound by Harry Potter tales", The Scotsman, September 24, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  5. ^ Jackson Diehl. "Pistachios at Guantanamo", Washington Post, Monday, July 23, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  6. ^ a b c "The Library at Guantanamo: 4200 Titles Under High Security", Library Journal, 10/5/2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  7. ^ Ten Facts about Guantanamo. Department of Defense (September 14, 2006). Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  8. ^ Fox, Ben. Associated Press, "Gitmo Prisoner Rejects Military Trial", April 11 2008
  9. ^ Andy Worthington. "Guantánamo's Library: Adding Insult to Injury", Huffington Post, Sunday July 22, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-25. 
  10. ^ The itinerant box Library. cageprisoners.com (July 20, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-09-03.