SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—A military judge has denied a request to allow television broadcast coverage of the Guantanamo Bay war crimes tribunal for five men charged in the Sept. 11 attacks.

Defense lawyers requested TV coverage of proceedings at the U.S. base in Cuba. But the Defense Department had authorized only closed-circuit broadcast to several military bases in the northeast U.S.

The ruling from Army Col. James Pohl said the court had no authority to allow general broadcast. A Pentagon spokesman declined comment Thursday.

Defense attorney James Connell said the public should be able to view proceedings against five men accused of planning and aiding the attacks. A hearing in the case is scheduled for January but the trial is expected to be at least a year away.