By David Williams and Steve Doughty PUBLISHED: 03:28 EST, 29 May 2013 | UPDATED: 03:42 EST, 30 May 2013 Britain was embroiled in a costly legal farce last night over the fate of up to 90 Taliban detainees suspected of trying to kill UK troops. Lawyers for the Afghans – given a huge platform yesterday by the BBC – claimed the prisoners are being illegally detained at a ‘secret’ prison within Camp Bastion in Helmand Province and demanded they be brought before a court or released. But when Defence Secretary Philip Hammond indicated that the military was prepared to release them to the Afghan authorities, the same lawyers – funded by legal aid – said they might launch fresh action in the UK courts to prevent that happening.
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Eight of the inmates have been held for as long as 14 months
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They haven't been charged or given access to lawyers, it is claimed
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Defence Secretary Philip Hammond today defended the policy
that detainees should not be released into the hands of the @placeholder