Meet Guantanamo Bay, the isolated and heavily fortified prison where Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters will soon be going
Swamps: Located at the Southern tip of Cuba, Guantanamo Bay is surrounded by swamps and Ocean.
Man-made obstacles: Guantanamo Bay is surrounded by a dense network of tall fences, guard towers, patrol routes and electronic sensors.
Guards: Heavily armed military guards patrol the base perimeter, and man fixed positions.
Mines: Guantanamo Bay was surrounded by immense minefields, and with over 70,000 mines buried around the base was claimed to be the most heavily mined area in the world. The US started removing the mines in 1996.
Marines: Among the toughest troops in the world, the Marines at Guantanamo Bay are all highly trained volunteers.
Navy: Guantanamo Bay is a large United States Navy base, with 42 anchorages. The base is very active, with aircraft and helicopter carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and submarines entering and exiting the port daily.
Air bases: two military air bases located on the base send out patrol aircraft and fighters to guard its surroundings.
Prison camps: Used to house Cuban refugees in the 90’s, Guantanamo Bay can house some 10,000 persons under lock and key. Base personnel are experienced in dealing with violent prisoners.
Military Area: Located at the Southern Tip of Cuba, Guantanamo Bay is a restricted military area. No one can approach the base without permission from the military. This means reporters, human rights activists, and others will not be able to come near the al-Qaeda prisoners.
