Transcript: Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.

May 17, 2009

Page 4 of 16

ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I don't know, whatever quantum of
proof, however you want to describe it, to believe that a person posed
a danger to the United States, we will do all that we can to ensure
that that person remains detained and does not become a danger to the
American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANOPOULOS: And is that enough assurance for you, Senator
Kyl?

KYL: Well, understand that we've already released those who,
after careful examination, we thought didn't pose a danger. And the
number is somewhere between 30 and 60 who turned out to continue to
conduct their activities against us after they were released.

The remaining 240 or so do pose a danger. So there aren't any
left that can easily be released because they don't pose a danger.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, that's not exactly true, right? And I
want to bring Senator Webb in on this, because I know there are about
17, I believe, Chinese Uighurs, they are called, who have been ordered
released by a federal court, they've determined not to be a threat to
the United States.

And the administration has been working on plans to bring them to
Virginia. Can you accept them in your state?

WEBB: Well, let me back up for a minute. The answer is no.

STEPHANOPOULOS: No?

WEBB: No. And I'll -- and then let me explain why. But to back
it up, the numbers that we've seen in my office are about 800 people
have gone through Guantanamo.

The majority of those who have been released, we're down to 220
to 240, so the majority of those that have been released have been
released to third countries, not actually released out into the open
-- you know, to where they can...
STEPHANOPOULOS: Just let out the door, right.

WEBB: Yes, right. So we don't know really where they have gone.
This other group deserves due process. They deserve, in the right
kind of environment, and I support what the president is doing on the
military commissions, to have their cases examined, to see whether or
not they should continue to be detained.

The situation with the Chinese Uighurs that you're talking about,
on the one hand, it can be argued that they were simply conducting
dissident activities against the government of China.

On the other, they accepted training from al Qaeda and as a
result they have taken part in terrorism. I don't believe they should
come to the United States.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Not to the United States and not Virginia.

WEBB: No, I don't believe so.

KYL: No, I totally agree.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How about this, there is also the group that
might have to be brought to the United States for trial or to be
detained here. And the Republicans in the Senate have put out
legislation -- not introduced legislation that says no detainee should
be brought to the United States in any way unless the state
legislature and the governor of the state passes -- signs off on that.

One, do you have the votes to pass it? And, two, will you block
any funding for the closing of Guantanamo without those assurances?

KYL: That was a motion by House Republicans. We're taking up
the bill next week. There will be an amendment that would preclude --
it would similar to that, but perhaps not identical.

A similar resolution passed a couple of years ago 93-4 saying,
don't bring these detainees to the United States. And my guess is
that none of this supplemental funding will be allowed to relocate
detainees into the United States, that that amendment will be adopted.