Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
October 21, 2008

US Court Blocks Release of Chinese Muslims From Guantanamo
----------------------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1ED9FA6:A6F02AD83191E16097336B57347831CFB3350E090FE6A6E8&
 
Court rules men must stay behind bars until at least November 24, when
judge will review Bush administration's appeal of order to release them 
A U.S. federal appeals court has blocked the immediate release of 17
Chinese Muslims from the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Soldiers in a
Humvee patrol the perimeter of the Camp Delta detention compound, at
Guantanamo Bay's US Naval Base, in Cuba (File)The court ruled two to one
Monday that the men must stay behind bars until at least November 24,
when the court hears the Bush administration's appeal of a judge's order
to release them. The two judges, A. Raymond Randolph and Karen
Henderson, who ruled in favor of the government gave no comment. But
dissenting judge Judith Rogers said the court does have the authority to
order release of the detainees. A federal judge in June ordered the men
freed, saying the government does not have the right to keep them in
detention since it has decided they are no longer enemy combatants. The
men have been held at Guantanamo for seven years. The government argues
that they should remain imprisoned until U.S authorities find new homes
for them. It also says the men received weapons training at a terrorist
camp. Washington has balked at China's demand that the 17 be sent back
home, fearing they would be tortured if returned to China. The Chinese
Muslims are members of the Uighur minority in far-western China's
Xinjiang region. Beijing has cracked down on those in the region it
calls violent separatists.

Some information for this report was provided by AP.