First prisoners face US military tribunals

US President George W Bush yesterday designated six prisoners to become the first people who could be tried before military tribunals, drawing renewed criticism from defence lawyers of the secretive special courts.

Officials refused to identify the six suspects being held in US custody and suggested their identities might be kept secret during any military trial.

That drew criticism from the chairman of the American Bar Association’s task force on the treatment of detainees in the war on terrorism.