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Last updated 8:51 am CT February 09, 2010.
Illinois Prison Eyed To House Guantanamo Detainees
"This kind of area is not good for anything like that, I think they just need to leave the original Gitmo open and just leave the people there," says Johnston City resident George Martin.
"I think it's a bad idea personally, I was in the military and I just think that having them off shore is probably better, I mean you're going to just bring a whole bunch of bad people to the states," exclaimed Justin Wallor of Carbondale.
But Senator Durbin says there's no reason to worry, and the the plan has more pros than cons.
"We have a chance to bring a major new correctional facility to our state, create some of the best paying jobs that region will know, breathe life back into the communities, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity," Durbin said.
It would be an opportunity to create three thousand jobs, but some wonder if those jobs may come at a cost.
"You start putting terrorists here, I mean there are terrorist cells in Illinois, they're all over the country, so you're going to be open to maybe somebody is going to take some kind of rash action, because it's here in the state," said Wallor.
That sentiment is echoed by Republicans like U.S. Senate Candidate Mark Kirk. In a letter to the President, he argues using the prison to house Gitmo detainees will make Illinois a target for extremists. But Thomson village president Jerry Hebeler says he wouldn't support the prison if it wasn't safe...
"I'd never chase jobs if I thought it would jeopardize the security and safety of my neighbors and friends," said Hebeler.
By Andy Waterman
awaterman@wsiltv.com
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