Judge halts 9/11 Guantanamo trial

President Obama wants to review the Guantanamo tribunal process

A judge has suspended the Guantanamo Bay trials of five men accused over the 9/11 attacks, in line with a request by US President Barack Obama.

Among the five is alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who had opposed the suspension saying he wanted to confess to his role in the attacks.

Mr Obama had earlier asked for a temporary halt to all tribunals at Guantanamo to review the process.

The request was one of his first acts as president.

Before the judge's ruling, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and three others accused over the 11 September 2001 attacks had said they opposed halting the trials.

Lawyers for a fifth man supported the proposed suspension.

A judge in a separate case - that of Omar Khadr, a Canadian man accused of killing an American soldier in Afghanistan in 2002 - has suspended that trial for 120 days.