In a speech at the White House on September 6, 2006, President Bush said: ” ‘In some cases, we determined that individuals we have captured pose a significant threat or may have intelligence that we and our allies need to have to prevent new attacks. Many are Al Qaeda operatives or Taliban fighters trying to conceal their identities. And they withhold information that could save American lives. In these cases, it has been necessary to move these individuals to an environment where they can be held secretly, questioned by experts and, when appropriate, prosecuted for terrorist acts. Some of these individuals are taken to the United States naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. …These aren’t common criminals or bystanders accidentally swept up on the battlefield. We have in place a rigorous process to ensure those held at Guantanamo Bay belong at Guantanamo. Those held at Guantanamo include suspected bombmakers, terrorist trainers, recruiters and facilitators, and potential suicide bombers. They are in our custody so that they cannot murder our people.’ “
– George W. Bush, Transcript: “President Bush’s Speech on Terrorism,” The New York Times, Sep. 6, 2006