The United States will suspend legal proceedings against Britons being held at its military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, pending discussions with Britain, Prime Minister Tony Blair’s official spokesperson said on Friday.
”There will be a statement coming from the White House essentially saying no further legal proceedings against the Britons being held at Guantanamo Bay,” the spokesperson told journalists travelling on Blair’s plane from Washington to Tokyo, minutes before landing.
The suspension is ”pending bilateral discussion next week to be attended by the British Attorney General Lord Peter Goldsmith, the spokesperson said.
A total of nine Britons, captured during the US ”war on terror”, are among 600 suspects being held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay.
Blair discussed the matter with US President George Bush after addressing a rare joint session of the US Congress on Thursday.
”The president listened to the concerns of the prime minister and we believe this is the right way to take this forward,” Blair’s spokesperson said.
Last week the US administration announced that an initial list of six foreign suspects held at the base could face secret trials before a US military commission.
Two of the six are said to be British citizens Moazzam Begg (35), and Feroz Abbasi (23) according to their families. They come from the English city of Birmingham and south London respectively. – Sapa-AFP