Gitmo trials to begin again

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama is approving the resumption of military trials for detainees at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ending a two-year ban.

A senior military official said Obama was due to issue an executive order last night.

Defence Secretary Robert Gates will rescind his January 2009 ban against bringing new cases against the terror suspects at the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Obama vowed when he took office to close the detention facility at Guantanamo, but officials have recently acknowledged that closure is not likely because of questions about where terror suspects would be held.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to make the decision public.