At least two amicus briefs from UK lawyers will be placed before the US Supreme Court when it hears an appeal next week on behalf of Britons who were imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay.

Shafiq Rasul and Asif Iqbal are among a group of released captives seeking permission for US courts to determine whether the US breached habeas corpus by detaining them without trial.

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association appointed Sir Sydney Kentridge QC of Brick Court Chambers, Colin Nicholls of 3 Raymond Buildings and Timothy Otty of 20 Essex Street.

The lawyers - who will be in Washington for the hearing - have submitted an amicus brief stating that if Guantanamo Bay had been controlled by the UK, then the English courts would have assumed authority over acts committed there.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Carver, a consultant with Clifford Chance, is acting for 85 MPs and 50 peers - including four retired law lords - who have submitted a brief to the Supreme Court urging it to accept jurisdiction over the Guantanamo Bay captives.

The International Bar Association has also submitted a brief unequivocally stating that the right of the Guantanamo captives to challenge their detention is enshrined in international law.

Jeremy Fleming