Talks on Camp Delta Britons

British and US officials were preparing for talks on the future of nine UK terror suspects held at Guantanamo Bay amid reports that two of the men could admit to war crimes as part of a plea bargain.

The Pentagon's top lawyer, William Haynes, and the Attorney General, Lord Goldsmith, are expected to discuss the fate of Feroz Abbasi and Moazzam Begg, who are due to be among the first Camp Delta inmates in Cuba to face controversial US military tribunals.

The Wall Street Journal said the two British suspects were expected to confess to war crimes, denounce terrorism and assist investigators in exchange for a firm release date.

Officials told the paper that they hoped the deal would show that the tribunals could be used to gain co-operation from prisoners.

But the Pentagon said that while a plea bargain was "an option" for suspects facing tribunals, it would be impossible to negotiate any deal until formal charges had been drawn up, which has not yet happened.

Mr Haynes, the Defence Department's general counsel, and a small Pentagon team will arrive in London for the third session of talks.

A spokeswoman for the Attorney General said the British representatives would be discussing their reservations about the military commissions and the options of the detainees being returned to the UK.

Earlier, the Foreign Office dismissed reports that British officials had privately said they did not want detainees flown home for trial because of concerns that it would be difficult to mount a successful prosecution under English law.

Lord Goldsmith, the British government's senior legal officer, has twice visited Washington since mid-July, securing an agreement that two Britons on the initial list of six facing trial will not face the death penalty.

Further exceptions to the tribunal rules secured by Lord Goldsmith are that the two Britons will be allowed a British consultant on their defence teams and that conversations with their lawyers will not be monitored.

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