The Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, also referred to as Guantánamo, GTMO, and "Gitmo", on the coast of Guantánamo Bay in Cuba.

What does Guantánamo mean in English?

The toponym "Guantánamo" means, in Taíno language, "land between the rivers".

Why is it called Guantanamo Bay?

When Spanish settlers took control of Cuba, the bay became a vital harbor on the south side of the island. ... They chose Guantánamo because of its excellent harbor. U.S. Marines landed with naval support in the invasion of Guantánamo Bay in June 1898.

What is Guantánamo known for?

The Guantanamo Bay detention camp, also known as Gitmo, is used to hold suspected terrorists captured by U.S. military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What is Guantánamo case?

About the Film

The fight escalated over four Supreme Court cases over four years, which became known as “The Guantanamo Cases.” The Court and the President – and even Congress – fought over the balance between national security and civil liberties during the War on Terror.

The Torture Camp at Guantanamo Bay

Does Guantanamo Bay violate habeas corpus?

In 2008, the Supreme Court decided in Boumediene v. Bush that Guantánamo detainees can challenge the lawfulness of their detention in federal court by filing writs of habeas corpus.

Who has jurisdiction at Guantanamo?

By the express terms of its lease from Cuba, the U.S. government exercises “complete jurisdiction and control” over the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, although Cuba retains ultimate sovereignty over the territory.

Are there still prisoners in Guantanamo?

39 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay. This list of Guantánamo prisoners has the known identities of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba, but is compiled from various sources and is incomplete.

Does Guantanamo Bay have a mcdonalds?

It takes just a few minutes to drive from the abandoned shell of Camp X-Ray, one of the most notorious prison camps in the world, to Guantanamo Bay's very own McDonald's — from one symbol of America to another. To get there you drive past rows of wood panelled-houses with neat gardens and barbecues out back.

Can civilians visit Guantanamo Bay?

All non-active duty personnel must have a current passport to get on NSGB. You must obtain passports (for the entire family), before arriving. Visitors will need an "Area Clearance" before they can be granted entry to NSGB. This must be completed, signed, and approved at NSGB before you can board the plane.

Is Cuba still US territory?

From the 15th century, it was a colony of Spain until the Spanish–American War of 1898, when Cuba was occupied by the United States and gained nominal independence as a de facto United States protectorate in 1902. ... Since 1965, the state has been governed by the Communist Party of Cuba.

Which country is Guantanamo Cuba?

Located on the eastern tip of Cuba, the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base is 116sq km (45 sq miles) and has been under US control since the end of the 19th century. The base is a hotly debated issue between the US and Cuba.

How did Guantanamo Bay start?

Guantanamo Bay or “Gitmo” started off as a Naval Base in 1898, after the United States took control of Cuba following the Spanish-American War. In 1902, the US agreed to withdraw from Cuba and both nations signed the Cuban-American Treaty, which declared peace and recognized Cuba as a sovereign nation.

Who won Rasul v Bush?

The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, holds that federal courts have jurisdiction to consider challenges to the legality of the detention of foreign nationals captured abroad in connection with hostilities and held at Guantánamo Bay.

Can you go off base at Guantanamo Bay?

Not surprisingly, Guantanamo Bay presents some unique challenges as a duty station. Though close to the U.S. mainland, the only way on or off base is on one of about six military-contracted flights a month that stop in Jacksonville, Fla., and Norfolk, Va.

How many prisoners have died in Guantanamo Bay?

Since Guantanamo opened, nine prisoners have died — two from natural causes, and seven in apparent suicides.

Do families live on Guantanamo Bay?

Guantanamo Bay has 756 family housing units. You can visit the Navy Housing website for housing floor plans and photographs. The waiting period for quarters varies depending on the time of year and the member's housing entitlement. Call the Housing Office, 757-458-4172/4174, DSN 312-660-4172/4174 for availability.

Where is Abu Zubaydah now?

listen) AH-boo zuu-BAY-də; Arabic: ابو زبيدة‎, Abū Zubaydah; born March 12, 1971, as Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn) is a Saudi Arabian currently held by the U.S. in the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. He is held under the authority of Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF).

What does habeas corpus mean literally?

The literal meaning of habeas corpus is "You shall have the body"—that is, the judge must have the person charged with a crime brought into the courtroom to hear what he's been charged with.

Is Guantanamo Bay US soil?

Guantánamo Bay is an area in the southeast of Cuba that resides under United States and Cuban control. U.S. control of Guantánamo Bay came about through the end of the Spanish-American war and the Platt Amendment. This amendment was initiated in 1903 and outlined seven conditions for the U.S. withdrawal from Cuba.

What religion is Cuba?

Cuba's prevailing religion is Christianity, primarily Roman Catholicism, although in some instances it is profoundly modified and influenced through syncretism.

What language do they speak in Cuba?

The Spanish spoken by Cubans is a variation of Castilian Spanish, brought over by immigrants from the Canary Islands in the 19th and 20th centuries. Today, Cuban Spanish and Haitian Creole are the two most widely spoken languages of this vibrant island nation.