The United States is planning to turn its Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, into a detention center for al Qaeda and Taliban prisoners, US Defense Secretary Mr Donald Rumsfeld confirmed today.
"We are making preparations to hold detainees there," Mr Rumsfeld told reporters at a regular Pentagon briefing.
But he added there were no plans to conduct military tribunals at the 45-square mile facility in southeast Cuba.
Some commentators say the decision to hold Afghan and Arab fighters in Cuba could anger President Fidel Castro, who has described the Guantanamo base as a dagger pointed at Cuba's heart and criticized Washington's Afghan military campaign.
"We don't anticipate any trouble with Mr Castro in that regard," Mr Rumsfeld said, describing the base as "the least worst place we could have selected."
US forces in Afghanistan are holding 45 captured fighters from the now-ousted Taliban and the al Qaeda militant group, led by Osama bin Laden, whom the United States suspects of masterminding the September 11th attacks.