Obama vows again to close Guantanamo prison

WASHINGTON -- US President Barrack Obama vowed Sunday that he will do everything possible to close the US military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"I'm going to be doing everything I can to close it," Obama said in an interview taped Friday and aired on a CNN's Sunday program.

"It is something that continues to inspire jihadists and extremists around the world, the fact that these folks are being held," said Obama, adding that it "is contrary to our values."

Obama's statement came after his administration announced Saturday that four Afghans held at the Guantanamo prison had been sent home, in its latest efforts to close the infamous military prison.

The four men, identified as Shawali Khan, Khi Ali Gul, Abdul Ghani and Mohammed Zahir, were unanimously approved for transfer after a review of their cases, the Pentagon said in a statement.

The review, part of an executive order signed by Obama in January 2009, examined a number of factors, including the security issue.

The repatriation of the four Afghans brings down to 132 the detention population at the secret Guantanamo prison, which was established by Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, after the Sept 11, 2001 terror attacks to house terror suspects detained overseas.

Obama promised to close the widely condemned prison when he took office about six years ago.