Navy removes top commander at Gitmo

The Navy has removed the commanding officer of its base at Guantánamo Bay, according to reports on Wednesday.

Capt. John R. Nettleton was relieved of duty and temporarily reassigned to a post in Florida amid allegations of an inappropriate relationship.

{mosads}The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is also conducting an inquiry into the death of a civilian on the base who may have been linked to the relationship, reports said.

Nettleton did not have oversight of the detention facility at the base, which holds individuals suspected of terrorism.

His reassignment comes as the fight over the military prison at Guantánamo intensifies. President Obama has vowed to close the facility, but been blocked by Congress.

On Tuesday night, Obama used his State of the Union address to reiterate his commitment to closing the prison. In recent weeks, the administration has stepped up efforts to transfer more detainees to other countries.

Those moves have angered congressional Republicans, with Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) offering a new bill to block those transfers.

Human rights advocates say detainees are kept in deplorable conditions, and note that many have never received a trial and have been at the base for years. Republicans, though, warn that released detainees pose a security risk to the U.S.