Gitmo Prisoners Coming to Illinois - Thomson Correctional Center New Home for 9-11 Terrorists

Gitmo detainees are headed for the American heart land, it is now official. Illinois is going to be the new home to the Guantanamo Bay prisoners despite the concerns from the American public.

Thomson Correctional Center in Carroll County Illinois is a "lightly used" federal maximum security prison. President Obama's administration has had its sight set on closing Guantanamo Bay and shipping 100 of the terrorist detainees to Thomaston Correctional Center for months now. While we were sleeping overnight, the decision was made. This is the breaking news on Fox News this morning.

The main concern is that this area of the country will now become a target for all the supporters of Al-Qaeda to come and stay in the area. They will picket the prison and make the area a stage for their political beliefs. They will be in our coffee shops, restaurants, stores and all the other public places the area offers.

As seen by the 9-11tragity, Al-Qaeda members and their supporers have no regard for human life, including their own. This could be a danger to all Americans, especially the people living in the vicinity of the Thomson Correctional Center.

The 146 acre Thomson Correctional Center is a Level 1 adult male maximum-security facility located about 150 miles from Chicago. It is comprised of 1,600 cells and eight housing units. A 200-bed minimum-security unit is also within the prison. The prison consists of 15 buildings enclosed by a 12-foot exterior fence and 15-foot interior fence. The fence is a dual sided electric stun fence and the prison cells are made from pre-cast steel enforced cement walls.

The Prison, which was newly constructed in 2001, cost the taxpayers $140 million. The building has sat unoccupied since it has been built except for a few minimum security prisoners, their guards, and the employees that keep it maintained. One such employee is a full time engineer, who flushes the toilets as part of his duty to keep the plumbing up and running.

The prison was too costly to open and staff, as the state revenues started a sharp decline after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. How ironic that the men who caused the prison from never opening, will be the first occupants.

In 2005 an audit reported it cost $1.8 million to maintain yearly for utilities, telecommunications and staffing. This is the cost of an empty maxium security prison.

This prison is in President Obama's backyard, so to speak, and with the detainees being relocated to this location, it does fulfill his campaign promise to his staunches supporters on his home turf. He promised jobs and economical growth, and this is what will be coming along with the 100 terrorist detainees that are being placed there.

This move will create 3000 local jobs. One of the supporters of this move is Illinois Senator Durbin, the Senate Majority Whip. He has hailed the move as being an economical boost for his state.

His own words: "This is an opportunity to dramatically reduce unemployment, create thousands of good-paying jobs and breathe new economic life into this part of downstate Illinois."

Do not bring these prisoners so close to the people whose lives have been destroyed from the evil acts that they have done. This is not a move that makes sense and unfortunatly it will be the people who live in the area whose lives will change. The quiet heartland streets will become a mecca for people coming to America in support of these prisoners.

Americans do not want to gain jobs and economic gains from this. No matter what projected monetary gain there is, this is not worth the hurt and sorrow this will bring to the surviving families. If for no other reason, keep the prisoners where they are now out of respect for the people we lost in 9-1l.

Reference: Fox News, Chicago Sun Times