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Prosecutors asked off Gitmo cases

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials said they found no merit to allegations that led two Air Force prosecutors to ask to be reassigned from terror military tribunals.

Maj. John Carr and Maj. Robert Preston were given other duties after they asked to be removed from the tribunals involving suspected terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

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Both men questioned the fairness of the proceedings and said other prosecutors failed to protect exculpatory evidence and ignored allegations of torture, the Journal said, citing e-mail messages at the Defense Department office that provided legal counsel to the suspects.

Pentagon officials said the charges were investigated, and while they did lead to some operational changes, were determined to be without merit, the Journal reported.

The tribunals were halted for several months when a federal court ruled them unconstitutional. However, an appeals panel reversed that judgment and Bush administration officials look to restart the two tribunals already begun within the month.

Defense lawyers say the messages from Carr and Preston raise questions about the fairness of the tribunals and are seeking other recourse to have the trials stopped.

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