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IL DOC: Ready to Clear Thomson if Feds Buy Prison
THOMSON, Ill. (AP) -- The Illinois Department of Corrections says it's ready to transfer out 200 prisoners from an underused prison if the federal government buys it to house alleged terrorists now held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

IDOC spokeswoman Januari Smith says there's adequate space at some of the state's other lockups to accommodate inmates now being held at Thomson Correctional Center in rural northwest Illinois.

The White House on Tuesday planned to announce that the federal government will acquire the Thomson site as the new home for no more than 100 terrorist suspects now detained in Cuba.

The Thomson facility is located about 150 miles from Chicago. It had emerged as a clear front-runner after Illinois officials, led by Sen. Dick Durbin, embraced the idea of turning a near-dormant prison over to federal officials.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
12 15 09 by Newsroom
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