Dick Cheney 'cover-up' over Guantanamo innocents

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Retired army colonel and Vietnam veteran Lawrence Wilkerson said former vice-president Dick Cheney and defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld deliberately suppressed the information.

The colonel was at the heart of former president George Bush's administration and his statement adds weight to the story of Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed, who was arrested in Pakistan and claims he was held for seven years for no reason. Col Wilkerson said that Pakistan handed many over for $5,000 (£3,400) a head and that they were held to provide a "mosaic" of intelligence.

He said he had been spurred on to speak out because Mr Cheney had claimed President Obama was making America vulnerable to a new terror attack by closing Guantanamo Bay and he felt this claim was "really, really dangerous".

A spokesman for the Pentagon said they could not comment on Col Wilkerson's claims. Navy Commander Jeffrey Gordon said the military has always insisted those held at Guantanamo were enemy combatants and posed a threat to the US.