U.S. and Great Britain officials say the British subjects being held at Guantanamo Bay will be sent home--by Christmas. Some will be released with no charges being filed, some may be charged, plead guilty here and then serve their sentences in Britain.

The agreement will end one of the most damaging conflicts between the White House and Downing Street, which has been pressing for fair trials for the Britons who have been held under military command at the US base in Cuba for two years.

Australia has announced a similar deal with its detained subjects.

British human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith, who is working with the suspects, said:

'The Americans just want these people to plead guilty so that it looks as if they have been telling the truth that these are all "bad dudes... 'We know that is nonsense. There is no evidence of any kind against them. In one man's case all he was doing was running a school.'