[Peace-discuss] Re: Jose Padilla AND 660 others

[Ricky Baldwin]

Yes, and we'll see how the news plays with Saddam's
capture dominating the headlines (happily for Bush). 
It's our job, I think, to make sure folks hear about
these things... letters, letters, letters to the
editor!

Ricky
--- John Baldridge <webmaster at one-world.org> wrote:

---------------------------------
    Excellent news.  And this comes right after
Ashcroft got fined by theFEC and slapped by the 9th
Circuit Court on medicinal marijuana.  Allin all a
good week.  We shall see how it plays out in the
SupremeCourt....

John.


Ricky Baldwin wrote:
  
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled
todaythat the 660 "enemy combatants" held at the US
navalbase at Guantanamo Bay must have access to
lawyers andto American courts.Here's a snip:Courts
slam anti-terror legal strategyby David Kravets, AP
writer 12/18/03SAN FRANCISCO - In twin setbacks for
the Bushadministration's war on terror, federal
appeals courtson opposite coasts ruled Thursday that
the U.S.military cannot indefinitely hold prisoners
withoutaccess to lawyers or the American courts.One
ruling favored the 660 "enemy combatants" beingheld at
the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.The other
involved Jose Padilla, an American who wasseized in
Chicago in an alleged plot to detonate aradioactive
"dirty bomb" and was declared as an enemycombatant. In
Padilla's case, the New York-based 2nd U.S.
CircuitCourt of Appeals (news - web sites) ordered the
formergang member released from military custody
within 30days and, if the government chooses, tried in
civiliancourts. The White House said the government
wouldappeal and seek a stay of the decision. In the
other case, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S.Circuit
Court of Appeals ruled that prisoners held atthe
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base should have access tolawyers
and the American court system. It was thefirst such
ruling by a federal appeals court anywherein the
country. "Even in times of national emergency #8212;
indeed,particularly in such times #8212; it is the
obligation ofthe judicial branch to ensure the
preservation of ourconstitutional values and to
prevent the executivebranch from running roughshod
over the rights ofcitizens and aliens alike," Circuit
Judge StephenReinhardt wrote in ruling in favor of a
Libyancaptured in Afghanistan (news - web sites) and
held inCuba. The two rulings highlighted the tensions
betweennational security and civil rights since Sept.
11. --- msimon at uiuc.edu wrote: