Updating Prison Ships: The Proposed Submarine USS Guantanamo

What is big and black and interchangable (no visible hull number or name)? ans. submarines

brig (brĭg) n. jail or prison on board a U.S. Navy or Coast Guard vessel.

Do "prison ships" serve their purpose moored or at sea? See prison ships in photo above (confusing).

Commodore Edward Preble (1761-1807), for whom the United States Naval Academy's Preble Hall is named, was held prisoner by the British as a young officer aboard the prison ship New Jersey.

Can you think of an accused terrorist who has been held at a naval brig (in Charleston)? ans. Jose Padilla

Think this is an original proposal? Think again (from BBC NEWS US faces prison ship allegations 06/28/2005, et al):

"The use of prison ships would allow investigators to interrogate people secretly and in international waters out of the reach of US law", British security expert Francis Tusa said.
"This opens the door to very tough interrogations on key prisoners before it even has been revealed that they have been captured," said Tusa, an editor for the British magazine Jane's Intelligence Review.

Nowak said the prison ships would not be "floating Guantanamos" since "they are much smaller, holding less than a dozen detainees."

Submarines could add clear advantages to confinement possibilities. SSGNs could hold several dozen terrorist suspects, who would be responsible for their own hygiene, manners, etc.

More on international waters here.