'100 to be freed' from Guantanamo

Some inmates have been held for almost two years

The United States plans to release at least 100 inmates from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in the coming weeks, according to media reports.

It is not clear whether they will face charges in their home countries.

About 660 terror suspects from more than 40 nations are detained at the US naval base in Guantanamo in Cuba.

They have not been charged or allowed access to lawyers, and their detention has been condemned both by human rights groups and allies of the US.

Few details about the expected releases are available.

A military spokeswoman told the Associated Press agency that transfers were due to take place - but declined to expand.

Another US official - speaking on condition of anonymity - told AP that more than 100 men and boys would be freed from US custody, starting from the end of December.

Children first?

A report in Time magazine puts the numbers of those due for release at 140.

They are "the easiest 20%", a military official told the magazine.

The camp was set up in January 2002, to detain suspected supporters of al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban.

The United States has already released 88 inmates - although many were re-arrested in their home countries.

On Wednesday the head of the camp said the three youngest detainees - aged 13 to 15 - would be transferred soon, but gave no date.

In a separate development, the London newspaper The Observer on Sunday reported that the UK and the United States were close to a deal to send nine British detainees home.

The US Supreme Court has agreed to decide if foreign nationals can use US courts to challenge their continued detention.