Attempting to temper the anti-US sentiment across the Muslim world, before embarking on an all-out offensive against terror perpetrators in and, perhaps, around Afghanistan, President Barack Obama is expected to sign an executive order to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within a year.
A draft order circulated on Wednesday also called for halting military trials in the prison, where the US has held terror suspects for years without trial.
Separate orders are expected to ban abusive interrogations and review the detention of terror suspects.
Obama was sworn in for a second time late on Wednesday, because one word had been out of order when the oath was first administered.
The draft executive order on the Guantanamo Bay in Cuba was circulated by the Obama administration on Wednesday.
"The detention facilities at Guantanamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from the date of this order," the draft read, according to Reuters.
It says anyone still in detention when the prison is shut "shall be returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country or transferred to another United States detention facility".
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a White House official said the order would be signed on Thursday, reported the BBC website.
Obama has repeatedly promised to close the Guantanamo Bay, where some 250 inmates accused of having links to terrorism remain and 21 cases are pending.
On Wednesday, judges suspended several of the military trials of terror suspects at Guantanamo, at Obama's request.
At least one trial involved several men accused in the 11 September attacks in the US.
Correspondents in Guantanamo say, the legal process has been widely criticised because the US military acts as jailer, judge and jury.
However, they say, closing Guantanamo will not be easy and raise questions on where those charged will be tried and where those freed would be moved.
On Thursday, Obama is also expected to issue a separate order banning sub-human techniques such as waterboarding - a form of simulating drowning used by the CIA during interrogations.
The president is also expected to order a review of America's detention policies, a White House official said.
A draft order circulated on Wednesday also called for halting military trials in the prison, where the US has held terror suspects for years without trial.
Separate orders are expected to ban abusive interrogations and review the detention of terror suspects.
Obama was sworn in for a second time late on Wednesday, because one word had been out of order when the oath was first administered.
The draft executive order on the Guantanamo Bay in Cuba was circulated by the Obama administration on Wednesday.
"The detention facilities at Guantanamo for individuals covered by this order shall be closed as soon as practicable, and no later than one year from the date of this order," the draft read, according to Reuters.
It says anyone still in detention when the prison is shut "shall be returned to their home country, released, transferred to a third country or transferred to another United States detention facility".
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a White House official said the order would be signed on Thursday, reported the BBC website.
Obama has repeatedly promised to close the Guantanamo Bay, where some 250 inmates accused of having links to terrorism remain and 21 cases are pending.
On Wednesday, judges suspended several of the military trials of terror suspects at Guantanamo, at Obama's request.
At least one trial involved several men accused in the 11 September attacks in the US.
Correspondents in Guantanamo say, the legal process has been widely criticised because the US military acts as jailer, judge and jury.
However, they say, closing Guantanamo will not be easy and raise questions on where those charged will be tried and where those freed would be moved.
On Thursday, Obama is also expected to issue a separate order banning sub-human techniques such as waterboarding - a form of simulating drowning used by the CIA during interrogations.
The president is also expected to order a review of America's detention policies, a White House official said.
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