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Al Qaeda Prisoners to Go Home
Wednesday, February 27, 2002
By George Wright
This is London

"We, in most cases, prefer to have people go back to their own countries and be tried there." The final decision over their fate rests with President Bush.

The US has admitted that very few, if any, of the 500 prisoners captured in the Afghanistan war will be prosecuted by military tribunal.

In a dramatic reversal of policy, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that due to a lack of evidence, Taliban and al Qaeda suspects from more than 20 states are more likely to be returned to their home countries for prosecution or tried in US civilian or military court.

Some could be held in US custody indefinitely, while others may be released outright.
(More: This is London News Source)
2002 © Associated Newspapers, Ltd.

Dan