WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. government was properly holding two detainees at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison, a federal judge in Washington ruled.
U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon ruled the Yemeni and Tunisian prisoners both had sufficient ties to terrorists to be detained, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
The men's lawyers said they would appeal.
A Justice Department spokesman told the Times prosecutors were pleased with the ruling that "these two individuals are being lawfully detained as enemy combatants."
Leon's ruling Tuesday followed his decision in November that five Algerians were held unlawfully at Guantanamo Bay for nearly seven years and must be released.
The cases come after the summer's landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said Guantanamo Bay prisoners have a constitutional right to challenge their detention in habeas corpus cases.
