Washington - President Bush said yesterday he is "not the least bit concerned" that his plans to try suspected terrorists in military courts will undermine co-operation from allies. "I made the right decision," he insisted.
His remarks came after Spain balked at extraditing eight alleged members of the al-Qaeda network, partly because they could be tried in military courts.
However, State Department spokesman Mr Richard Boucher denied that Washington had made any extradition requests but said US officials had spoken with their counterparts about sharing information about terror suspects.
Mr Bush, who welcomes Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar to the White House on Wednesday, said he looked forward to explaining why the controversial decision to set up such courts was the right one.
"A president must have the option of using a military tribunal in times of war," he said.
"It makes sense for national security purposes. It makes sense for the protection of potential jurors. It makes sense for homeland security. It is the right decision to make and I will explain that to any leader who asks," he said.