General Richard Myers, the top US military officer, and senior White House officials on Monday rejected calls for the closure of the Guantánamo Bay prison camp, following allegations of torture and disrespect of its Muslim inmates.

Visiting Malaysia, Gen Myers, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said some prisoners were too dangerous to be released “under any conditions”. He also said the US military would “probably” not hold court-martial proceedings in three cases involving deliberate mishandling of the Koran.