State department spokesman James Rubin said Washington had already been providing such information privately to the Spanish judiciary for the past year.

He maintained their intention was to assist those who wanted to know more about the issue and not to use the documents to support or refute specific legal allegations against the General.

The BBC's David Allison reports

The news came as the general was moved from a private hospital in North London to a high-security private estate in Surrey, in the south of England.

James Rubin: "No public view on the legal cases against him ..."

Meanwhile, diplomatic attempts continue on behalf of the Chilean Government who want to see him return home.

Friends with everyone

No date for the release of state department documents has been set, although a review of the material is already under way.

Madeleine Albright: "strong on justice and accountability"

The administration continues to follow the line taken by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright who said on Monday that Chilean opposition to the extradition of General Pinochet should be respected.

The state department says it is going to extraordinary lengths to de-classify and release as much information as possible about human rights abuses committed under the Pinochet presidency.

It will continue to respond to specific requests from Spain about classified information.

Madeleine Albright: "Citizens of Chile are wrestling with a very difficult problem."

But spokesman James Rubin insisted that while the US condemned the excesses of the Pinochet era, Washington would not be using the documents to either support or refute specific legal allegations against the general:

"This is an effort on our part, given the extensive human rights abuses that occurred in Chile, to try to assist those who want to know more about a problem like this, and that is the reason for it," he said.

The Wentworth estate: It is not known who is taking the general in

"It's not designed for us to reach conclusions, but for us to provide raw information that will help others to reach conclusions."

He reaffirmed the US position that it has no public view on the legal cases currently facing the general.

State Department Correspondent Richard Lister says Washington appears to be trying to offer something to everyone.