Statement from the Department of Defense regarding Guantanamo Detainee Art

Contrary to reports, the Department of Defense did not order the burning of
any detainee artwork. Likewise, we have no record of detainee artwork having been
burnt in the past, and we are not planning to start doing so in the future. Further,
claims that the Department contacted John Jay College in an attempt to claim and
destroy art on display there are patently false.

Verbal guidance to cease the movement of artwork out of the detention

facility at Guantanamo Bay was made in October and follow-on written guidance on
the same was issued at the start of December.

Defense Department officials were not previously aware that detainee

artwork was being sold to third parties. Once this practice came to light, as a result
of recent media reporting, they quickly moved to institute an appropriate policy
which effectively eliminated transfer of detainee produced artwork from the
detention facility.

Items produced by detainees at Guantanamo Bay remain the property of the

U.S. government.

The appropriate disposition of this property has been clarified with our staff
at the detention facility and will be accounted for and cataloged according to
applicable local procedures in the future.

There is no intent for DoD to claim art that has already left the island.

There has been no change to the program that allows detainees at

Guantanamo to participate in art classes.

Detainees maintain the ability to keep a limited amount of artwork in their

individual cell areas, subject to basic security requirements.

Art classes continue to be held each week and detainees have the
opportunity to attend.

The number of detainees who choose to attend any class varies daily based
on their desires and priorities.