US rescinds rule requiring Gitmo judges to move to Cuban base

Officials have rescinded a new rule requiring U.S. military judges presiding over tribunals at Guantanamo Bay to relocate to the base in Cuba.

The measure had prompted a judge presiding over the prosecution of detainees charged over the Sept. 11 attack to order an immediate halt to proceedings, unless it were overturned.

Lt. Col. Myles B. Caggins III, Defense Department spokesman for Military Commissions, said the decision to reverse the relocation rule was “consistent with the interests of justice."

The Defense Department in January ordered judges to move to Guantanamo after an official said it would help speed up litigation in the three active prosecutions by military commissions of prisoners at the base.

That prompted lawyers for the five prisoners charged over the Sept. 11 attacks and another charged in the USS Cole bombing to seek dismissal of the charges for improperly interfering in the death-penalty cases.

Al Jazeera and wire services