Attorney General John Ashcroft said Wednesday that the U.S. Supreme Court gave more rights to terrorists in three recent decisions, and Justice Department lawyers are poring over the rulings to determine their consequences.
The orders issued Monday on Guantanamo detainees and enemy combatants Jose Padilla and Yaser Hamdi indicate "that certain terrorists have more rights," Ashcroft said after a meeting with a regional anti-terrorism advisory council.
"The Supreme Court accorded to terrorists, in a variety of cases this week, a number of additional rights," he said. "We're digesting those opinions in terms of making sure that we adjust or modify what we do, so that we accommodate the requirements as expressed by the Supreme Court."
Ashcroft noted the court preserved the president's right to designate and detain enemy combatants under "a restrained and careful procedure." But the decision also gave the detainees the right to challenge their indefinite jailing in U.S. courts, which the Bush administration opposed.
...Georgetown University law professor David Cole, a critic of the detentions, said, "It seems like being John Ashcroft means never having to say you're wrong." He noted the Hamdi case was decided by an 8-1 vote and added, "It is extremely rare for the Supreme Court to rule against the government in wartime."
Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, said Ashcroft "could put whatever face-saving spin he wants to put on it, but the Supreme Court just a vote shy of unanimous inflicted a stinging rebuke to the president and the attorney general."
The Ledger article
The orders issued Monday on Guantanamo detainees and enemy combatants Jose Padilla and Yaser Hamdi indicate "that certain terrorists have more rights," Ashcroft said after a meeting with a regional anti-terrorism advisory council.
"The Supreme Court accorded to terrorists, in a variety of cases this week, a number of additional rights," he said. "We're digesting those opinions in terms of making sure that we adjust or modify what we do, so that we accommodate the requirements as expressed by the Supreme Court."
Ashcroft noted the court preserved the president's right to designate and detain enemy combatants under "a restrained and careful procedure." But the decision also gave the detainees the right to challenge their indefinite jailing in U.S. courts, which the Bush administration opposed.
...Georgetown University law professor David Cole, a critic of the detentions, said, "It seems like being John Ashcroft means never having to say you're wrong." He noted the Hamdi case was decided by an 8-1 vote and added, "It is extremely rare for the Supreme Court to rule against the government in wartime."
Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida, said Ashcroft "could put whatever face-saving spin he wants to put on it, but the Supreme Court just a vote shy of unanimous inflicted a stinging rebuke to the president and the attorney general."
But here's the best part...
[Ashcroft] pressed for expansion of Patriot Act powers to create a death penalty law for terrorism against military and nuclear targets.
Because the threat of death is going to be a deterrent to holy warrior martyrs?
Or is he acknowledging that there is somebody else who wants to do us harm?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. There may be some delay before your comment is published. It all depends on how much time M has in the day. But please comment!