Bush confirms interrogation of terror suspects overseas

Washington, Sep 7 (UNI) US President George W Bush has acknowledged that the country's intelligence interrogated terror suspects at secret overseas prisons and moved 14 of them to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for trial by military commissions.

The creation of such commissions is, however, subject to approval by the Congress. In his speech yesterday, President Bush urged the Congress to approve the creation of the military commissions to try the detainees.

Suspects moved to Guantanamo include Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks in 2001, Ramzi Bin Al-Shibh, the alleged plotter and two members of Indonesia's Al-Qaida-linked terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, Hambali and Zubair.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman says their interrogations may continue at Guantanamo, but under new rules that protect all US military detainees from abuse.

President Bush defended the secret Central Intelligence Agency detention centers, criticised by some of the opposition Democrats and said they were a vital tool in the war against terror and saved countless lives.

He also defended the treatment meted out to the suspects but would not say where they were held before or which part of Guantanamo's facility will be their new home.

Opposition Democrats see politics in the President's move intended to boost poll prospects of his party members running for the Congress in November. The White House has denied the allegation.

UNI XC PR HT1827