Islamabad, May 10 (ANI): US Central Command (CENTCOM) Headquarters have clarified that Major General Jay W Hood, who headed the Guantanamo Bay prison between 2004 and 2006 and who was earlier assigned to replace the US defence representative to Pakistan, is now being considered for a position within the CENTCOM Headquarters, a statement said.

The CENTCOM statement said that due to unforeseen requirement, he was now "being now considered for a posting at CENTCOM".

During his stint at Guantanamo Bay, May Gen Hood was severely criticised by the Islamic world, including Pakistan, for incidents like desecration of the holy Quran and forcing the inmates to take food through pipes in order to break their hunger strikes. There were around 65 Pakistani inmates inside the jail whose accounts after returning home divulged the atrocities committed on them by US military personnel.

"Gen Hood had been scheduled to replace Major General James Helmly, the US Defence Representative to Pakistan. Unfortunately, due to an unforecasted requirement, Hood is being considered for a different, equally important, position within the US Central Command Headquarters," the Daily Times quoted the CENTCOM statement as saying.

It added: "The departure and rotation of senior leaders resulted in an unforecasted vacancy within the US CENTCOM Headquarters."

"We are committed to finding an equally qualified senior officer for this critical responsibility. Our determination to send our best people to Pakistan reflects the importance of our defence relationship with Pakistan and our partnership in the war on terror," said the statement further. (ANI)