US Allows Lawyer for Citizen Held as 'Enemy Combatant'

[kskiska]

Reversal Comes on Eve of Court Filing

Wednesday, December 3, 2003; Page A01

The Bush administration reversed course last night in one of the most closely watched cases in the war on terrorism, saying a U.S. citizen jailed after being captured with Taliban soldiers in Afghanistan would be allowed access to a lawyer.

Government officials had argued for more than a year that Yaser Esam Hamdi was not entitled to counsel after they had designated him an "enemy combatant." The change in policy came on the eve of a government filing due today at the U.S. Supreme Court, which had been asked by a federal public defender in Virginia to review Hamdi's detention.

In a brief statement, Defense Department officials said Hamdi would be allowed to see a lawyer "as a matter of discretion and military policy." But the statement emphasized that the government did not feel obligated to make a lawyer available and that the decision "should not be treated as a precedent."

While it is rare for the administration to reverse itself on a major component of the anti-terror crackdown begun after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the decision likely will improve the government's position before the Supreme Court.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A29796-2003Dec2?language=printer

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

1. Dupe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=248933

2. I don't think this is a dupe

The link you've got takes me to the case about how long police have to wait before breaking down a door.

This is about the military combatant case.

This is a very significant case. It has to do with the Patriot Act in a big way. The fact that they're backing down on this one is a LOT more significant than they are letting on. They are really really worried about this case getting to the Supreme Court and a precedent being established.