British government bids to defuse X-ray camp row

The British government tonight attempted to defuse the row over the al-Qaida suspects held by the US at Camp X-Ray, insisting their conditions were in line with ‘‘international humanitarian norms’’.

Foreign Office Minister Ben Bradshaw said a team of UK officials who visited the three British prisoners held at the Guatanamo Bay naval base in Cuba had been satisfied that the reports of mistreatment were false.