"And they have confirmed other reports regarding the roles and intentions of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations," Rumsfeld said.
The detainees are designated "enemy combatants," and are not POWs entitled to a host of legal rights. Countries holding POWs are obligated under international accords to release them at the end of hostilities, but the Pentagon argues the war on terrorism could last for years.
Rumsfeld said the US was negotiating to repatriate many who were deemed a threat but who were not targeted for tribunals.
Rumsfeld said the reason no Guantanamo prisoners had been charged or tried was because the priority had been interrogating them to gather information that could prevent attacks.
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