Opposition party PAS on Sunday criticised the government for allowing two of its citizens to be held by the United States.

On Wednesday the US said it had transferred 14 al-Qaeda suspects to the US military base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba from covert CIA custody to be tried by military commissions.

The group included Malaysians Mohammed Nazir Lep Lillie and Mohamad Farik Amir or Zubair. Both allegedly have ties to the al-Qaeda-linked Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI).

Malaysia is currently awaiting information from Washington on their status. "We are disappointed with the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for allowing two Malaysians to be detained in Guantanamo Bay," Kamaruddin Jaafar, PAS secretary-general told AFP .

Kamaruddin said this "expressed weakness by the present government" for allowing its citizens to be detained by another country.

PAS deputy president, Nasharuddin Mat Isa said Abdullah should have asked for the Malaysians to be tried here.

"We do not condone any acts of terrorism but there has to be open trial in Malaysia and we should not let our citizens be held by Americans," Nasharuddin said.

PAS has accused the US of using its global crackdwon on terrorism as a cover to attack Islam and gain control of oil reserves.