The British Foreign Office has said that the United States is holding two more British nationals in the Afghanistani city of Kandahar. They are suspected of involvement with the Taliban. Three other Britons are being held at the American military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
Earlier today, the US Defence Secretary said the 158 suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters would not be reclassified as Prisoners of War.
Donald Rumsfeld was speaking on a visit to Camp X-Ray at Guantanamo Bay. He said that he had come to the base to thank the troops guarding the detainees and not to inspect conditions at the camp.
The Secretary of State has rejected international criticism of the way in which the detainees were being held. Colin Powell said that the prisoners were terrorists who were captured because of the danger they posed to society.
