Around the world

JERUSALEM — Envoys from the United States, European Union, Russia and the U.N. will meet Tuesday in Jerusalem for the first time since Islamic Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, U.N. and Israeli officials said Friday. The meeting comes as moderate regional leaders try to use Hamas’ takeover of the chaotic territory to try to promote peacemaking between Israel and moderate Palestinians in the West Bank lead by President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah. But deposed Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ leader, warned Friday that his movement could not be ignored.

Army officer: Guantanamo panels relied on vague intelligence about detainees

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — An Army officer who played a key role in the "enemy combatant” hearings at Guantanamo Bay says tribunal members relied on vague and incomplete intelligence while being pressured to rule against detainees, often without any specific evidence.

His affidavit, submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and released Friday, is the first criticism by a member of the military panels that determine whether detainees will continue to be held. Lt. Col. Stephen Abraham, a 26-year veteran of military intelligence who is an Army reserve officer and a California lawyer, said military prosecutors were provided with only "generic” material that didn’t hold up to the most basic legal challenges.

Despite repeated requests, intelligence agencies arbitrarily refused to provide specific information that could have helped either side in the tribunals, according to Abraham, who said he served as a main liaison between the Combat Status Review Tribunals and the intelligence agencies.