Ex-Guantanamo French 'face trial'

Nizar Sassi was held for two years in Guantanamo Bay

Six French former inmates of the US prison in Guantanamo Bay face terrorism charges in Paris, reports say.

They are to stand trial in May charged with "associating with criminals in relation to a terrorist enterprise", according to the AFP news agency.

Five of the six were released by the French authorities after their return from Cuba in July 2004 and March 2005.

A seventh man who was held at the US prison was cleared of any suspected crimes when he was repatriated.

AFP says the men to face trial are: Mourad Benchellali, Nizar Sassi, Brahim Yadel, Imad Achab Kanouni, Khaled Ben Mustapha and Redouane Khalid.

Mr Benchellali and Mr Sassi are also expected to face charges of falsifying official documents.

About 500 detainees remain imprisoned at the US facility in Cuba, suspected of links to al-Qaeda and the Taleban.

Many of them have been held without charge and access to lawyers since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.