Meanwhile in Geneva, a panel of UN human rights experts repeated calls Thursday for the closure of the Guantanamo prison.

• Leila Zerrougui, Chair of the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detentions: “In particular we urge the United States government to either expeditiously bring Guantanamo Bay detainees to trial before a competent and independent tribunal or release them without further delay. We call on the Government to close down the Guantanamo Bay detention centre and, until that time, to refrain from any practice amounting to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, discrimination on the basis of religion, and violations of the rights to health.”