The protest by Green foreign affairs spokesman Keith Locke that the Americans are torturing Al Qaeda prisoners at Guantanamo Bay by forcing them to wear blindfolds and earmuffs, is just hypocrisy, ACT leader Richard Prebble says.

"No one is suggesting that any prisoner has been physically mistreated," Mr Prebble said.

"Why weren't the Greens protesting when the Taleban forced all the women of Afghanistan to wear clothing from head to foot, including covering their faces, and publicly whipping women who defied their dress code. Now that really was torture.

"Keith Locke is just an old Red who's hopelessly anti-American.

"ACT is urging the government to continue to ignore their Green coalition ally. The vast majority of MPs are behind the Americans and realise they're dealing with dangerous terrorists who, if they were given the freedom Mr Locke wants, would use it to make suicidal attacks," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media