Rebel generals and political leaders have met to discuss the president's fate after seizing control of the West African state.

But military spokesman Zamora Induta said a decision was not expected for a few days.

President Vieira has been seeking refuge in the Portuguese Embassy since his government was overthrown by the rebels, led by former army chief General Ansumane Mane.

Portugal, the state's former colonial power, has granted his asylum request but it is not certain that he will be allowed to leave Guinea-Bissau.

Arms allegations

Rebel spokesman Commander Zamora Induta told the Portuguese radio station, Renascenca, that discussions so far generally favoured putting President Vieira on trial for corruption.

He said that the new rulers would not allow some of the president's allies, including the detained deputy armed forces' chief Afonso Te, to leave the country.

The spokesman said that President Vieira could also face charges of gun-running to separatist guerrillas in the south of neighbouring Senegal.

Some former senior government and army officials were recently accused in a parliamentary report of being behind the smuggling.

The arms issue was also the trigger for the military uprising last year. President Vieira accused General Mane of the gun-running.

He denied the allegation, and it led to a rebellion, with the bulk of the army opposing the president and quickly taking control of most of the country.

BBC West Africa Correspondent Mark Doyle says the dispute over arms masked a wider unease about President Vieira's rule, with many people accusing him of corruption and incompetence.