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US says Afghan detainees will remain behind bars until conflict ends

US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld says prisoners at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba will be remain in detention for the duration of the Afghan conflict.

Mr Rumsfeld says even if so-called 'enemy combatants' are tried by a military court and acquitted, the US would prefer to see them kept from returning to the battlefield.

He says keeping detainees in custody for the duration of a conflict is universally recognised as lawful and in-keeping with Geneva conventions.

"To release enemy captives so that they could return to the battlefield would put the lives of more young American servicemen at risk and in my view would be mindless".

29/03/2002 12:16:16 | ABC Radio Australia News

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