Report: Admin. plans indefinite detention

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- The White House has prepared an executive order to reassert presidential authority to detain suspected terrorists indefinitely, The Washington Post reported.

Citing three senior government officials, the newspaper said Friday the executive order resulted from concern that President Barack Obama's plan to close the detention center at Guantanamo, Cuba, could be derailed in a battle with Congress.

An executive order claiming authority to detain suspects indefinitely would essentially endorse the position of the George W. Bush administration. Obama advisers have some concern that the new executive order might weaken the administration's position in legal challenges to the detention policy and alienate Obama's political supporters, the Post said.

However, administration officials are also concerned it might not be possible to close the Guantanamo detention center by the January deadline Obama has set, and that it might be impossible as well to get a timely agreement with Congress on a detention system to replace the current policy, the newspaper said.

A White House spokesman declined to answer questions regarding any executive order. However, Ben LaBolt said the administration will take up the matter in a way that is "consistent with the national security interests of the United States and the interests of justice."

A White House official told the Post civil liberties advocates, who oppose indefinite detention, have told the administration if "a prolonged detention system" is to be developed, it would be better to do it by executive order, which could be rescinded and would not interfere with legislative efforts to address the matter.