George Bush

President Bush has met with members of his National Security Council to discuss whether the Geneva Conventions should apply to al-Qaida and Taleban prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The prisoners, currently classified as "unlawful combatants," were captured in Afghanistan and Pakistan late last year and flown to the United States earlier this month for interrogation and possible prosecution.

White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters Monday that the Bush administration is adamant that the detainees are not POWs. But Mr. Fleischer says there is discussion about whether the detainees are covered under the full weight of the Geneva conventions.

AP
Detainees at Guantanamo, Cuba

The issue is deemed significant by human rights groups and others who argue that without its coverage, detainees might have less grounds to argue for humane treatment and fair trials.

As unlawful combatants, U.S. interrogators are allowed to question the detainees extensively about possible future terrorist operations. Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war are not required to divulge information about future military operations.

Mr. Fleischer says people detained by the United States will always receive "humane care." He also noted President Bush's view that this is an "unprecedented conflict" against terrorism, rather than against a "nation state."

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