Bush, Republicans forge terrorism trial deal

WASHINGTON, Sep 22: US President George W Bush bowed to pressure from leading senators in his Republican party, revising a bill for interrogating terrorism suspects that critics had said would allow abusive treatment.

The deal between the White House and the three Senate heavyweights ended days of negotiations and cleared the way for Congress to pass legislation setting up trials for foreign suspects at the US naval facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Republicans John Warner of Virginia, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina had led the charge against Bush's bill, saying it would have allowed abusive CIA interrogations and unfair trials.

Graham said the compromise produced ''a CIA program that the president desired to have in a way that clearly does not violate our obligations under the Geneva Conventions'' -- standards for humane treatment of war prisoners.

Bush hailed the deal, saying it would allow the CIA to pursue a policy that is vital for US security after the September 11 attacks.

Bush needed the legislation after the Supreme Court in June ruled that his original plan for trying foreign suspects did not meet judicial standards. He has repeatedly denied charges by international critics the interrogations amount to torture.

''I'm pleased to say that this agreement preserves the most single -- the most potent tool we have in protecting America and foiling terrorist attacks, and that is the CIA program to question the world's most dangerous terrorists and to get their secrets,'' Bush said of the deal.

On a trip to Florida, Bush said he hoped Congress would send him the legislation before it heads out next week to campaign for November 7 congressional elections.

REPUBLICAN REVOLT

The deal appeared to end an embarrassing revolt by a band of Republicans that was imperiling the party's attempt to appear tougher on security than Democrats before the elections that will determine control of Congress.

The compromise would clarify what constitutes a war crime under US law. It would not seek to more narrowly define unacceptable treatment under the Geneva Conventions that protect war prisoners.

With the deal, Bush ''cannot unilaterally downgrade'' international standards, said Elisa Massimino of Human Rights First. She said the administration failed ''to get around the prohibitions against torture and cruelty by arguing that the standards are flexible.'' The deal sets more stringent standards for what constitutes a felony under the War Crimes Act, barring waterboarding to simulate drowning and other harsh interrogation techniques.

Also with the deal, defendants would be able to see classified evidence that is shown to a jury and is used to convict them. It sets stricter limits on evidence obtained by coercion, requiring a judge to decide if it is reliable and in the interest of justice.

Evidence from torture would be barred.

Democrats, the minority in Congress who quietly backed the rebelling Republican senators, said they still had concerns the bill stripped detainees of habeas corpus rights to challenge their detentions. They said they would try to amend that when the bill reaches the Senate and House floors next week.

McCain brushed off any talk about who prevailed in the showdown with the White House, saying, ''We're all winners because we've been able to come to an agreement through a process of negotiations and consensus.'' He said ''the agreement that we have entered into gives the president the tools that he needs to continue to fight the war on terror and bring these evil people to justice.''

Reuters