The prison facility in Thomson, Ill., where some suspected terrorists now being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will be moved is going to be "enhanced to exceed perimeter security standards at the nation's only 'supermax' prison in Florence, Colo.," the Obama administration says.

In a letter to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, President Barack Obama's top national security aides say that:

 

The security of the facility and the surrounding region is our paramount concern. The facility was built in 2001 to maximum security specifications, and after acquisition it will be enhanced to exceed perimeter security standards at the nation's only "supermax" prison in Florence, Colorado, where there has never been an escape or external attack. Federal departments and agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Defense, will work closely with state and local law enforcement authorities to identify and mitigate any risks, including sharing information through the state's "fusion center" and working with the Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Among the inmates at the Florence "supermax": Ramzi Yusuf, convicted of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; Zacarias Moussaoui, convicted of conspiring in the 9/11 attacks; Ahmed Ressam, convicted in the airport millennium plot; and "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski.

The federal government is going to acquire the Thomson facility from the state of Illinois, and the letter states that:

This facility will serve dual purposes. First, the Department of Justice will acquire this facility primarily to house Federal inmates. The Bureau of Prisons has a pressing need for more bed space in light of current crowded conditions. Second, the Defense Department will operate part of the facility to house a limited number of detainees from Guantanamo. The two parts of the facility will be managed separately, and Federal inmates will have no opportunity to interact with Guantanamo detainees.

And, it adds:

The President has no intention of releasing any detainees in the United States. Current law effectively bars the release ofthe Guantanamo detainees on U.S. soil, and the Federal Government has broad authority under current law to detain individuals during removal proceedings and pending the execution of final removal orders.

The letter is signed by:

— Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
— Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
— Attorney General Eric Holder.
— Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
— Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair.