Children held at Guantanamo Bay are expected to leave the American detention camp in the near future as part of what may be the biggest single release of prisoners since it was established, US military officials said last night.
But they rejected reports that the Pentagon was succumbing to international pressure after protests greeted news that the juveniles were in detention - or to a complaint from Colin Powell, the secretary of state, that US policy at the camp was straining relationships with allies.
Between one and two dozen inmates, mostly Afghans, will be released in the near future, according to unnamed military officials.
One official said he believed juveniles would be among them, though it was not clear whether that number would include all three of the boys aged 13 to 15 whose presence at Guantanamo caused outrage when it was revealed last month. It was also unclear whether they would be freed, or transferred to detention in their home nations.
Since the camp received its first detainees in early 2002, only 23 have been released, including inmates who were elderly or mentally ill.
The planned release, which Pentagon officials said would not be confirmed publicly until after it had happened, may well be the largest so far. The camp's 660 detainees are being held indefinitely, have no access to lawyers and have not been charged.
Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, has said the under-16s are "not children" and could be dangerous.
Signs that the defence department is reviewing individual cases follow an increase in criticism not only from outside the Bush administration, but also from within.
Mr Powell warned Mr Rumsfeld in a letter that eight allies had complained about their citizens being held there. He was reported as saying that mishandling of the prisoners was damaging global cooperation in combating terrorism.
Mr Powell "is wondering about due process," a state department official said yesterday on condition of anonymity. "There are questions about these prisoners, and [Mr Powell] is aware of them."
But the Pentagon denied that the releases were connected to the letter, saying they had been planned "for some time", and Mr Rumsfeld sought to present the two departments as united.
He said: "What Colin and I have been concerned about ... is that it's taking so long."
Olara Otunnu, the UN's special representative for the rights of children in war, told the Guardian it was imperative that all prisoners at Guantanamo below the age of 18 be "released as fast as possible for them to be reunited with their families".
Of the expected release, he said: "My hope is that top of the list will be the persons below the age of 18 ... if they are accused of committing any crime, they can obviously be tried, they can be investigated - but instead of sentencing to detention or jail, you put them through a programme of rehabilitation and correction."
But a release of all minors at the camp seemed far from imminent.
A Canadian government official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Guardian he thought it "highly unlikely" that the released inmates would include Omar Khadr, the Canadian citizen who entered the camp at 15 after being captured by US forces in Afghanistan. Amnesty International welcomed news of the release.
But they rejected reports that the Pentagon was succumbing to international pressure after protests greeted news that the juveniles were in detention - or to a complaint from Colin Powell, the secretary of state, that US policy at the camp was straining relationships with allies.
Between one and two dozen inmates, mostly Afghans, will be released in the near future, according to unnamed military officials.
One official said he believed juveniles would be among them, though it was not clear whether that number would include all three of the boys aged 13 to 15 whose presence at Guantanamo caused outrage when it was revealed last month. It was also unclear whether they would be freed, or transferred to detention in their home nations.
Since the camp received its first detainees in early 2002, only 23 have been released, including inmates who were elderly or mentally ill.
The planned release, which Pentagon officials said would not be confirmed publicly until after it had happened, may well be the largest so far. The camp's 660 detainees are being held indefinitely, have no access to lawyers and have not been charged.
Donald Rumsfeld, the defence secretary, has said the under-16s are "not children" and could be dangerous.
Signs that the defence department is reviewing individual cases follow an increase in criticism not only from outside the Bush administration, but also from within.
Mr Powell warned Mr Rumsfeld in a letter that eight allies had complained about their citizens being held there. He was reported as saying that mishandling of the prisoners was damaging global cooperation in combating terrorism.
Mr Powell "is wondering about due process," a state department official said yesterday on condition of anonymity. "There are questions about these prisoners, and [Mr Powell] is aware of them."
But the Pentagon denied that the releases were connected to the letter, saying they had been planned "for some time", and Mr Rumsfeld sought to present the two departments as united.
He said: "What Colin and I have been concerned about ... is that it's taking so long."
Olara Otunnu, the UN's special representative for the rights of children in war, told the Guardian it was imperative that all prisoners at Guantanamo below the age of 18 be "released as fast as possible for them to be reunited with their families".
Of the expected release, he said: "My hope is that top of the list will be the persons below the age of 18 ... if they are accused of committing any crime, they can obviously be tried, they can be investigated - but instead of sentencing to detention or jail, you put them through a programme of rehabilitation and correction."
But a release of all minors at the camp seemed far from imminent.
A Canadian government official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Guardian he thought it "highly unlikely" that the released inmates would include Omar Khadr, the Canadian citizen who entered the camp at 15 after being captured by US forces in Afghanistan. Amnesty International welcomed news of the release.
