This also made it unlikely that the terror suspects will be tried in the US.

The bill, muscled through by liberal Democrats, freezes the budgets of most federal departments and includes US$159 billion to fight the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq next year.

The bill prohibits the federal government from spending any money to transfer Guantanamo prisoners to the US or to acquire facilities to hold them on U.S. soil.

It also explicitly bars the transfer of al-Qaida mastermind of the 9/11 attacks Khalid Sheik Mohammed to the US mainland or US territories.

The bill, narrowly passed with a 212-206 vote, was opposed by Republicans, conservative Democrats and some anti-war lawmakers.

To become law, the bill must pass through the Senate before it is signed by President Barack Obama. Local media are predicting that it is unlikely to survive the Senate unchanged.