Thursday, December 29, 2005
Justice Dept. Asks Supreme Court To Intervene In Padilla Case
After a rare rebuke by the national security-minded 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to allow the prosecution of "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla to go forward.
"In its ruling last week, the 4th Circuit questioned the government's changing rationale for Padilla's detention since the September decision, because the criminal charges do not mention a dirty bomb plot or any attack inside the United States. The court said prosecutors had left the appearance that they were trying to avoid Supreme Court review of Padilla's case and suggested that Padilla might have been "held for these years, even if justifiably, by mistake."
(...)
"Yesterday, prosecutors denied any attempt to avoid the Supreme Court and said they had narrowed the charges against Padilla because elaborating on the original allegations would compromise intelligence "sources or methods."
After holding Padilla incommunicado for over three years in a Navy brig, Justice is now eager to bring this case to trial.
I (and others) wonder whether any of the illegally obtained NSA evidence forms any of the basis of Padilla's case. If it does, we can rely on this fact not being admitted by the government.
U.S. Defends Conduct in Padilla Case
