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Last updated 6:38 am CT February 09, 2010.
Housing Terrorists In Illinois
"I would look at this very different if there were not already 340, real significant bad guys in our federal facilities," said Sacia.
Officials with the Federal Bureau of Prisons did not return our calls seeking to confirm the number of terrorists being held in Marion, but Sacia says there is no threat to holding them.
"I'm very disappointed by some in my party that want to make political hay out of this because it is being tied to President Obama closing Gitmo," said Sacia.
But the top Republican in the Senate says terror suspects have no place in our prisons.
"These people have never set foot on American soil before, their crimes aren't on American soil, why bring them here," said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.
Radogno, who visited SIU earlier this week, says state prisons are suffering from over-crowding and she wants to keep Thomson for Illinois inmates.
"We don't have the money to staff that facility, even though we have the need, so what I would like to see us work to is financial stability in this state and being able to operate that as a state prison, as it was intended to be," said Radogno.
Despite the debate among state lawmakers, it's not up to them. Senate President John Cullerton says the general assembly doesn't have any authority to block the plan.
By Ryan Kruger
rkruger@wsiltv.com
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