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July 15, 2005
Appeals Court Puts Bush Tribunal Policy ...
...back in the driver's seat.
WASHINGTON - A federal appeals court put the Bush administration's military commissions for terrorist suspects back on track Friday, saying a detainee at the Guantanamo Bay prison who once was Osama bin-Laden's driver can stand trial......"Congress authorized the military commission that will try Hamdan," said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
The protections of the 1949 Geneva Convention do not apply to al-Qaida and its members, so Hamdan does not have a right to enforce its provisions in court, the appeals judges said.
The driver is saying he just needed the job.
Posted by tree hugging sister at July 15, 2005 01:14 PM
Comments
He may well have. He also may have learned some very interesting things that will help, and that will come out when he's tried.
Posted by: Nightfly at July 15, 2005 03:32 PM
To this I would add that it strikes me the courts have mostly gotten their treatment of these guys right: the reason they have what level of access they do is NOT mandated by the Constitution, but by the language of the federal habeas corpus statute. In other words, if Congress ever wanted to get over their collective ass and legislate about something that's actually important, they could.
Posted by: Dave J at July 15, 2005 10:30 PM
What, Dave, congresscritters actually doing their job, and not grandstanding? Please, don't do that!! My heart, my HEART!!
Posted by: The Real JeffS at July 16, 2005 04:06 AM