The home secretary has ruled out any suggestion that the British detainees at Guantanamo Bay could be kept under such surveillance as a tagging order if they were returned home and not charged.

Legal experts have warned that there is no basis to "manage" such suspects without their being charged with a crime.

"I have never suggested tagging, I have never suggested satellite monitoring," David Blunkett told journalists yesterday.

"I've never suggested that we can take action against them in this country without trial.

"Where there isn't evidence that would stand up in a British court, as opposed to a [US] military tribunal, then people can't be tried."