Judges have rejected an appeal by 10 anti-terror suspects being held without charge.

The Special Immigration Appeals Commission ruled on Wednesday that the government's anti-terror detention laws were legal.

The men have been held in top-security Belmarsh jail without charge since December 2001 because police believe they have links with al Qaeda and other militant terrorist groups.

But they appealed against their imprisonment under controversial legislation brought in by home secretary David Blunkett.

The legislation permits indefinite detention of non-UK nationals without charge or trial based on the home secretary's belief that they are a national security risk and an "international terrorist".

Blunkett expressed his "relief" at the ruling.

"We were right and correct to do this and we protected the nation from people whose involvement and connection with terrorism put us at risk," he said.

A solicitor for some of the men condemned the verdict.

"My clients have been denied the opportunity to properly challenge the material relied upon by the secretary of state," said Natalia Garcia.

And Roger Bingham of civil rights group Liberty claimed the imprisonment went against natural justice.

"These people haven't even been charged. The whole policy of internment offends the core principles of British justice," he said.