Use of female COs on hold at Guantanamo’s Camp 7

Navy Capt. J.K. Waits agreed on Tuesday to delay a hearing until January at the request of lawyers for an alleged al-Qaida commander

November 19, 2014 11:23 AM

In this Nov. 18, 2008, file photo, reviewed by the U.S. military, a female guard, bottom, and a male guard escort a detainee who carries a book from the detainee library trailer to the detention facility in an open air common area at Camp Delta 4 on the U.S. Military Base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Associated Press

MIAMI — A military judge is putting off a resolution of a dispute over the use of female guards in the highest security unit of the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Navy Capt. J.K. Waits agreed on Tuesday to delay a hearing until January at the request of lawyers for an alleged al-Qaida commander. Lawyers for Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi asked to put it off because of delays collecting evidence.

Al-Iraqi is held with other top prisoners in the secret unit on the U.S. base in Cuba known as Camp 7. Some of the prisoners have refused to meet with their lawyers unless the military only uses male guards to move them. Prisoners say physical contact with female guards violates with their Muslim faith.

The judge left a temporary ban in place over government objections.

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