Guantanamo hunger strikers denied water, heat

US: Prisoners taking part in a growing hunger strike at Guantanamo Bay complained Thursday that their handlers have denied them drinking water and kept their cells at "extremely frigid" temperatures.

US attorneys claimed Thursday that the allegations were "false," as they urged the US District Court in Washington to dismiss the emergency motion filed by Yemeni prisoner Musaab al-Madhwani.

Madhwani, who has been held at the US naval base in southern Cuba for 11 years, is demanding "emergency humanitarian relief" in the form of drinking water and clothing to keep warm, according to his complaint.

The detainee is only drinking water and not eating food as he is participating in a hunger strike that began seven weeks ago after a routine inspection during which prisoners claimed guards had mishandled their Korans.

The US military said the Korans were in no way desecrated. Military officials said only Muslim translators at the camp handle copies of Islam's holy book.

AFP