YANGON, Jan 24: Trials for more than 300 people linked to Myanmar's disbanded military intelligence unit began on Monday under a cloud of secrecy inside the notorious Insein prison, a legal source said.

"The trials have started today," the source said. "No fewer than 16 special tribunals being presided over by 16 divisional and district-level judges were set up inside the jail premises," said the source, who went inside the prison.

Some 30 special courts are expected eventually to be operating within the prison walls, and the trials are expected to end within 45 days. Thousands of people have been summoned for closed-door preliminary hearings in recent months.

Journalists who had gathered at the main gate of the prison early on Monday were denied access by security guards. No details of the trials were available. "According to prevailing laws, persons on trial have the right to legal defence... otherwise justice will not be served," the legal expert said. It was not known whether any of the defendants have hired their own lawyers.

Insein prison lies about 16 kilometres north of Yangon, and the special tribunals have been set up inside six separate buildings next to each other, the legal source said.

Most defendants face multiple charges, including corruption and possession of illegal foreign currency. Some of the higher-ranking officials are likely to be charged with conspiracy, the legal expert said.

The defendants are closely connected to former military intelligence chief and deposed premier General Khin Nyunt, who has been accused by the ruling military junta of insubordination and abuse of power.

Two of his sons are among the 300 people facing trial. Khin Nyunt himself faces several charges including high treason, abuse of power and graft but is unlikely to be put on trial at this time, sources said.

Khin Nyunt, who led military intelligence for two decades, had favored limited dialogue with detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. He was replaced by junta hard liner General Soe Win. Myanmar's military rulers have painted the purge as a crackdown on corruption. -AFP