Guantanamo reporters 'gagged' by US

US military officials imposed strict reporting limits on the first journalists to go to the US-run detention camp for terror suspects since the arrests of a Muslim army chaplain and two interpreters.

The reporters were required to sign “ground rules” for coverage that banned questions about the investigations on pain of being removed from the US Navy camp located at Guantanamo Bay, on the eastern tip of Cuba.

There are nine UK citizens being held at Guantanamo Bay – two of whom are on an initial list of six detainees who could be tried by the military tribunal.

US officials say the six were, like other prisoners at Guantanamo, suspected of involvement with al-Qaida, Afghanistan’s Taliban or some other group.

Asked why journalists were being warned of consequences if they ask questions, Army Lt Col Pamela Hart said, “Why ask a question that you’re not going to get an answer to?”

Hart, a spokeswoman for the detention mission, said the ground rules helped in “protecting the integrity of the investigation.”

“The ground rules are because we have an ongoing operation. … To discuss details about ongoing investigations may prejudice the outcome,” she said.

Almost all the detainees, from more than 40 countries, are said to be members of al-Qaida terrorist network or the ousted Afghan Taliban regime. The US government says they could be held until it declares an end to its “war on terrorism.”