Plan for closing Guantanamo in ‘final stage’

The White House is in the final stage of drafting a plan for closing the Guantanamo prison for foreign terrorism suspects, racing against time to resolve one of President Barack Obama’s most intractable problems.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the administration hoped to “short circuit” opposition from Republicans in Congress who have blocked Obama from closing the prison.

Republicans have barred transfers to America from the facility and the administration has also faced resistance in the Pentagon to repatriating those still seen as a potential threat.