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Artists including Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and Rage Against The Machine have formed a coalition to support U.S. President Barack Obama's efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.
The National Campaign to Close Guantanamo was launched on Tuesday (21Oct09) and a string of high profile musicians have signed up to support the cause.
Obama has pledged to shut the Cuban detention camp, which can hold terrorist suspects indefinitely without trial, by January (09) following allegations of unorthodox and cruel treatment of captives.
The president's proposals have faced opposition from Republicans in Congress, but they have been backed by the new coalition, which aims to support Obama's efforts to close the camp.
High profile artists began to take up the campaign following claims music was used as an interrogation tool in the jail.
In a statement, the members of R.E.M. say, "We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice. To now learn that some of our friends' music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge, is horrific. It's anti-American, period."
Other artists to join the coalition include Jackson Browne, Steve Earle and Roseanne Cash.
