61 freed detainees said back in terror

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WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials say dozens of detainees released from the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison camp have likely returned to terrorism activities.

U.S. Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters Tuesday that since 2002, 61 former detainees have committed or are suspected to have committed attacks after being released from Guantanamo, CNN reported.

That number is a significant jump over the Pentagon's last report in March 2008, which indicated that only 37 former detainees had been suspected of returning to terrorism activities since 2002. More than 100 Guantanamo detainees have been released since 2007, many more than in previous years, Pentagon officials say.

Of the 61 former Guantanamo detainees on the newest list, 18 have been officially confirmed to have committed further acts of terrorism while 43 are suspected of doing so, the broadcaster said. The 18 were confirmed through intelligence, photographs, fingerprints and other information, Morrell told reporters.