The Bush Administration is moving closer to announcing what sort of military tribunals it plans for hundreds of al-Qaida and Taleban detainees being held at the U.S. base on Cuba. 

Tribunal regulations were released Wednesday to the U.S. Congress. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is expected to make them public as early as Thursday. 

During a visit to an elementary school near Washington Wednesday, President Bush provided no details, but said American officials are discussing rules on how to make military tribunals function well. 

News agencies report that only a handful of senior detainees would face trial in the United States. A convicted terrorist could only be sentenced to death in a unanimous vote by those judging him 

No television cameras will be permitted, and trial sessions will be closed to all journalists when classified information is being discussed. 

Critics from civil liberties groups and Congress say defendants would have fewer rights than traditional U.S. defendants and that the tribunals would be seen as illegitimate overseas. 

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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