From the Sydney Morning Herald

Coalition forces are segregating from other military prisoners those suspects they believe are from militias or may be Saddam loyalists fighting in the fedayeen.

"Seeing young, healthy males in the middle of a firefight makes you wonder what they're doing there," one senior officer said.

Those detained would be treated as prisoners of war, but without official status, until hearings were held in Iraq under the Geneva Convention, officers say.

The hearings will determine whether they are released, held as POWs or declared illegal combatants. If labelled POWs they will be released at the end of the war.

Any found to have used civilians as shields or otherwise violated the international laws of war would be declared illegal combatants and sent to Guantanamo Bay or other secure jails.

Thereby following the Geneva Convention to the exact letter. Those that do not follow the laws and norms of warfare place themselves beyond its protection - that's what the Convention itself says.

UPDATE : More details in the Army Times

Posted By Alan E Brain at April 1, 2003 07:06 AM | TrackBack