WASHINGTON, Nov 12: US authorities have delayed the first military trial of a "war on terror" suspect held at the detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba , as the Defence Department appeals a judge's ruling that such tribunals are illegal, the Pentagon said on Friday.

"The military commission trial scheduled for Dec 7-21 is postponed pending the outcome of Department of Defence appeal in federal courts," a Pentagon spokesman said.

Judge James Robertson of the US District Court in Washington said on Monday the alleged Al Qaeda member should be given prisoner-of-war status until a "competent tribunal" can rule on his case. "The question is now whether this will affect the other commissions pending," said Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Law. -AFP