British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his government...

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said his government was pressing Washington behind the scenes to ensure the planned trials of terrorism suspects jailed at Guantanamo Bay would not violate international law.
Under repeated questioning, Blair declined to condemn the trials or call for the extradition of Britons there, leaving their relatives and lawyers frustrated. "Purely private representations have not worked.
The British government has to review its strategy and make formal diplomatic protests like Pakistan did," Louise Christian, a lawyer for UK Guantanamo Bay suspect Feroz Abbasi's family, told Reuters.
"If we were the closest ally to the US in the war on terrorism and we are not able to do anything for our own citizens held by them, then it's a disgrace," Christian added.
US plans for military trials of a first batch of six foreigners - including two Britons, Abbasi, 23, and Moazzam Begg, 35 - at the naval base in Cuba, provoked worldwide criticism and strained the close US-UK political alliance.
"We will make active representations, indeed are making active representations to them, to make absolutely sure that any such trial that takes place will take place in accordance with proper international law," Blair told parliament.
The trials could bring the death penalty, to which Blair reiterated Britain's opposition.
"Any commission or tribunal that tries these men must be one conducted in accordance with proper canons of law so that a fair trial is both taking place and seen to take place," he said.