WASHINGTON, June 21: President George Bush on Monday defended the US treatment of detainees and said the mastermind of the Sept 11 attacks should stay in secret custody because he could provide valuable information to help protect Americans and Europeans.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, regarded by US officials as the brains behind the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, has been held at an undisclosed location since he was captured in Pakistan in March 2003.

“And he is being detained because we think he could possibly give us information that might not only protect us, but protect citizens in Europe,” Mr Bush said at a press conference after meeting European Union leaders.

“And at some point in time he will be dealt with, but right now we think it’s best that he be kept in custody,” Mr Bush said. “We want to learn as much as we can in this new kind of war about the intention, and about the methods, about how these people operate.”

While a number of senior Al Qaeda members have been captured or killed, the network’s leader, Osama bin Laden, and his deputy, Ayman Al Zawahri, have evaded a US-led manhunt.

CIA Director Porter Goss told Time magazine last week that he had an ‘excellent idea’ where Osama was hiding, but did not reveal the location.

“We are receiving good cooperation from the government of Pakistan. They are a partner in the global war on terrorism and they have been working with us to go after Al Qaeda and Taliban remnants,” White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.—Reuters