Detention facilities at Camp X-Ray were temporary. As a result of this, of the single occupancy capacity at Camp X-Ray being limited to 320, and with Guantanamo Bay preparing to receive up to 2,000 Al-Qaeda and Taliban detainees, the need arose for the construction of larger enclosed long-term detention facilities at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

According to one report, to qualify for transfer and detention at Camp Delta prisonners taken in Afghanistan must meet any one of the following criteria:

* Be a foreign national;
* Have received training from Al-Qaeda; or
* Be in command of 300 or more personnel.

Camp Delta was initially a 612-unit detention facility. It is built on the site of a former facility made up of cinder-block buildings used years before during a Haitian refugee operation. Each detention units is 8 feet long, 6 feet 8 inches wide and 8 feet tall and constructed with metal mesh material on a solid steel frame. Approximately 24 units make up a detention block. The facility has indoor plumbing with each unit having its own floor style flush toilet, metal bed-frame raised off the floor, and a sink with running water; none of which was available at Camp X-Ray where portable toilets were used instead.

Areas at Camp Delta are also better controlled than Camp X-Ray and detainees are out of the sun more. There are also two recreation/exercise areas per detention block at Camp Delta. The maximum security portion of Camp Delta is made up of three detention blocks.

U.S. Army Military Police make up the security force inside the camp.

The Detention Hospital is a 20 bed facility located inside Camp Delta and is dedicated to providing expert medical care to the detainees. The Detention hospital is comparable to a full-service, medical facility with state-of-the-art equipment and professional medical staff.

Detainees receive three culturally appropriate meals a day, one of which is an MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat). To guard against detainees fashioning "make-shift" weapons, special procedures have been put in place. Special arrangements were made with the MRE manufacturer to ensure that these MRE's would have neither cardboard packaging, heating units, accessory pack, nor candy. In addition, Military Police personnel are tasked with sanitizing each MRE, and removing toilet paper, the plastic wrapper off the spoon, a bag of spiced cider, and any additional material deemed to pose a potential threat. This includes salt, with each detainee allowed only one salt. Material given to each detainee for meals in his cell is accounted for once the meal is finished.

Clean laundry bundles provided to each detainee is made up of one sheet, two towels, one washcloth, one orange bottom (pants), one orange bottom (shorts), and one orange bottom top (shirt). They are also provided a prayer cap, flip-flop shoes, a foam sleeping mattress, a blanket, a 1/2 inch thick prayer mat, and soap. Detainees are also given a copy of the Koran. According to an account published by the Mirror in September 2002, detainees are allowed two 15-minute showers a week, at which time, they receive a new orange suit. According to a June 13, 2004, story by the Washington Post, detainees were initially concerned by the color of the suits, as they believed the color to be reserved for condemned men, and therefore believed they would be executed. Their concerns were reportedly addressed and they were told that the jumpsuit color was not tantamount to a death sentence.

A dining facility, the Seaside Galley, is available for JTF personnel working inside Camp Delta. It consists of a large, air-conditioned tent, with two hand-washing stations located just outside of the tent. A more permanent dining facility is scheduled to be built in September 2003 at the same location, and is known as the Delta Galley.

Other improvements made to Camp Delta include the installation of rubber mats on the floors for guards walking up and down the detention blocks, as well as the setting up of air-conditioned offices at the extremities of each block; with each one to be later equipped with a computer and connected to a LAN.

Camp Delta boasts the only traffic light on the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba , facility, and the second traffic light in Guantanamo Bay history. The light is mounted on the guard shack located at Camp Delta's traffic check point.

Camp Delta is comprised of at least six detention camps. These are Camps 1, 2, 3, 4, Echo and Iguana. Three of these (Camps 3, 2, 1) are maximum-security camps that can house about 800 detainees who live in solitary confinement. Camp 5, a more permanent concrete and steel structure, is designed to hold 100 detainees and open in early May 2004.

Camp-1
Further additional cooperation by detainees allow them to be transferred to Camp 1 where the detainee receives additional privileges. About 150 detainees are held there.

Camp-2
Detainees that cooperate with JTF GTMO staff and help to develop intelligence are moved there from Camp 3. Camp 2 and 3 approzimately hold a combined 340 individuals.

Camp-3
The highest level maximum-security facility at Camp Delta. When an enemy combatant first arrives, he is held at Camp 3.

Camp-4
A new, dormitory style, medium-security, detention facility with dormitories able to hold up to 20 detainees in each unit. Detainees held at the camp are allowed to live there as a result of having demonstrated that they are no longer security risks and are cooperating with the intelligence-gathering effort. The detainees wear white colored uniforms rather than the orange-colored ones. The detainees are housed in building complexes where each complex consists of communal living rooms, each with a private toilet and sink, as well as a larger shower and toilet room that serve the entire complex. There are four communal living rooms that can house up to 10 detainees each (though it was initially reported each could house up to 12 detainnees). Each detainee has a bed with a mattress, locker for storing personal comfort items and other items like writing material and books. The camp also has small, common recreational areas for playing board games and team sports. Aproximately 160 detainees are held there. The Camp's inner tower is known as Liberty Tower.

Camp-5
It differs from other camps at Camp Delta in that it is a multi-winged complex made of concrete and steel. It cost $31 million to build, is designed to hold 100 detainees and was opened in May 2004.

Camp-6
An October 4, 2004, Legal Times articles mentioned that plans were underway to construct a new permanent facility dubbed "Camp 6" at Camp Delta. The new facility would reportedly hold 200 detainees and would cost $24 million to build. It, along with Camp 5, would be the only permanent detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. According to the report, construction on the new facility was believed unlikely to begin before the end of 2004. The was expected to comply with American Corrections Association standards regarding the prison's daily operations and to be used for long-term incarcerations and rehabilitations.

Edited from GlobalSecurity.com