THE WEEKLY STANDARD just called the Bermuda Department of Tourism to see if there’s any concern that the release of four Uighur Gitmo detainees will threaten the tourism business in the island nation. According to the CIA World Factbook, “Bermuda’s tourism industry – which derives over 80% of its visitors from the US – continues to struggle but remains the island’s number two industry.” Officials at the department declined to comment and referred us to the Royal Gazette, where Bermuda premier Dr. Ewart Brown has provided an official statement. Brown claims that “The United States Government will bear the cost surrounding this relocation”–but there’s been no indication whether or not that “cost” includes potential losses due to a Gitmo-related hit taken by the tourism industry. Brown also said in his statement:
As Thomas Joscelyn reports, the freed Uighurs do not appear to be innocent: all four were members or associates of an al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist group and received training at a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan. About 100 countries refused to take them.
