Reno, former Justice Department officials criticize terror law

[deminks]

http://www.wluctv6.com/Global/story.asp?S=5710356&nav=81AX

WASHINGTON Former Attorney General Janet Reno is speaking out for the first time against Bush administration policy on terror suspects. Reno and seven other former Justice Department officials filed court papers today, charging the administration is setting a dangerous precedent by trying a suspected terrorist outside the court system.

The case centers on the only detainee being held on terror charges in the United States -- Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri.

Reno's team is challenging Justice Departments efforts to try al-Marri before a military commission. Among their claims is that al-Marri was wrongly held until he was designated an enemy combatant.

[deminks]

1. A little more info here, but it is from Faux news.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,230902,00.html

"The government is essentially asserting the right to hold putative enemy combatants arrested in the United States indefinitely whenever it decides not to prosecute those people criminally — perhaps because it would be too difficult to obtain a conviction, perhaps because a motion to suppress evidence would raise embarrassing facts about the government's conduct, or perhaps for other reasons," the former Justice Department officials said.

Some of the eight attorneys named in the document are now in private practice and represent detainees at the military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Most served under President Clinton, though the list includes former U.S. Attorneys W. Thomas Dillard and Anton R. Valukas, who served under President Reagan.

"The existing criminal justice system is more than up to the task of prosecuting and bringing to justice those who plan or attempt terrorist acts within the United States — without sacrificing any of the rights and protections that have been the hallmarks of the American legal system for more than 200 years," the attorneys wrote.

[indygrl]

2. Just a side note.

My daughter had the opportunity to interview Ms. Reno a couple of times at UM and thinks she's the greatest. A very warm, genuine down to earth individual. At that time she was still driving her red truck.

[Rose Siding]

4. That's good to hear

I've always liked her and followed her in the FL Gov primary a few years back. It's nice to get a first hand impression.

Welcome to DU, indygrl :hi:

[kainah]

3. good for her

She took so much abuse and most of it was so undeserved. It especially rankles me when you see it has become conventional wisdom to lump "Waco & Ruby Ridge" together and blame them both on her -- totally ignoring that Ruby Ridge happened under GHWB.

[sabra]

5. k & r

[donsu]

6. glad to see Reno speaking/acting out - I respect her

nt

[flordehinojos]

7. janet reno should've been our florida governor...mcbride got in the race to hand it to jeb.

[democrank]

8. Good.

The more people in Bush`s face, the better. Maybe he isn`t really a king after all.