The administration of President George W. Bush could face a further challenge to its anti-terrorism policies from the Supreme Court, which is expected to say on Tuesday whether it will take up a case involving US secret prisons overseas.

The court met on Friday to discuss whether to hear El-Masri v US, a case of mistaken identity involving a German citizen who claims he was held for months and tortured at a secret prison in Afghanistan, even after US intelligence officials realised they had the wrong man.