US:The Pentagon's completion of a hefty manual outlining procedures for terrorism trials has revived debate in the US Congress on the treatment of military detainees.
Democrats said they were concerned that the manual - based on a law passed last year in the Republican-controlled congress - tramples on basic legal rights that should be afforded to military prisoners. This, they say, puts US troops at risk of mistreatment if ever captured.
Senator Christopher Dodd said he was working alongside fellow Senate Democrats Patrick Leahy and Russ Feingold on a bill addressing flaws in the manual "that are impediments to the effective and credible prosecution of suspected terrorists".
The Bush administration and Republican members say the tough standards are needed to ensure that dangerous terrorists are convicted.
"While ensuring the fair and full prosecution of terrorists, the military commission's manual preserves the ability of our warfighters to operate effectively on the battlefield," said Republican congressman Duncan Hunter, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
Under the law, the president can convene military commissions to prosecute terrorism suspects so long as he follows certain guidelines, such as granting defendants legal counsel and access to evidence used against them. It also for the first time provided specific definitions of abusive treatment of prisoners, prohibiting some of the worst abuses, such as mutilation and rape, but granting the president leeway to decide which specific interrogation techniques are allowed.
The new regulations lack some protections used in civilian and military courtrooms, such as against coerced or hearsay evidence.
They are intended to track a law passed last year by congress restoring Mr Bush's plans to have special military commissions try terrorism suspects. Those commissions had been struck down earlier in the year by the US Supreme Court.
The 238-page manual, released yesterday, outlines the trial procedures and provides detailed descriptions of various war crimes that can be prosecuted by military commission.
Senator Dodd, who has 2008 presidential ambitions, said he was particularly concerned about limits placed on military judges and a defence counsel's access to witnesses and evidence, as well as the use of coerced statements.
Likewise, Democratic congressman Ike Skelton, chairman of the house armed services committee, said he planned to scrutinise the manual to ensure that it does not "run afoul" of the US Constitution.
Mr Dodd said he believes that the Pentagon's top lawyers assigned to defend detainees were excluded from the preparation and review of the manual. - (AP)