COMPLETE COVERAGE | FRONT LINES | AMERICA AT HOME | INTERACTIVES »

U.S. prepares Cuba base for Afghan prisoners

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In preparation for al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners, U.S. military personnel began deploying Sunday to establish a maximum-security facility at the U.S. Navy Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

VIDEO The Pentagon is preparing a new home at a U.S. naval base in the Caribbean for captured al Qaeda and Taliban fighters. CNN's Kathleen Koch reports (January 7) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

The U.S. Southern Command, based in Miami, is establishing maximum security facilities on the island to accommodate 2,000 prisoners.

Elements of "Joint Task Force 160" will include approximately 1,000 people from Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, and Navy personnel from Norfolk Naval Air Station in Norfolk, Virginia.

They will join Marine units already in Cuba.

The detention center will initially hold no more than 100 prisoners, but could increase to hold as many as 2,000.