Terrorism

AG Arrives in Afghanistan to Discuss Corruption Crackdown

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is in Afghanistan to discuss a crackdown on corruption and other law enforcement issues. Afghan President Hamid Karzai had pledged to crack down on corruption, but critics say he’s been too slow to address the problems, report Reuters and CNN. Holder is the first U.S.…

Jun 30, 2010 1:32 PM CDT

Senator Sees ‘Inertia’ Over Closing of Gitmo Prison

President Obama is unlikely to implement his campaign pledge to close the prison holding terrorism detainees at Guantanamo Bay before his term ends in 2013. Political opposition and a focus on other issues are putting the closing on the back burner, the New York Times reports. Congressional committees voted to…

Jun 28, 2010 11:00 AM CDT

Times Square Car Bomb Suspect Pleads Guilty

Faisal Shahzad, the 30-year-old naturalized U.S. Citizen from Pakistan charged with the failed car bombing in Times Square in May, pleaded guilty in federal court this afternoon. The New York Times reported that after Shahzad told Judge Miriam Goldman Cedarbaum that he would plead guilty to attempted use of a…

Jun 21, 2010 9:33 PM CDT

Supreme Court Upholds Law Banning Even Peaceful Support for Terrorist Groups

In the first major test of whether anti-terrorism laws conflict with free speech principles, the war on terrorism is victorious. In a 6-3 ruling (PDF), the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a federal law banning material support for designated terrorist groups, even when the support is for legal activities, the…

Jun 21, 2010 3:12 PM CDT

AG Says Pakistani Taliban ‘Facilitated’ Times Square Car Bomb Attempt

A group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban “facilitated” an attempted car bombing in New York City’s Times Square, said Attorney General Eric Holder today in a written statement announcing an indictment against a suspect in the failed attack. Faisal Shahzad, 30, who was born in Pakistan and is a naturalized…

Jun 17, 2010 11:35 PM CDT

Bryan Cave Partner Grilled on Terrorism Article at Deputy AG Confirmation Hearing

Bryan Cave partner James Cole defended a terrorism article he wrote for Legal Times in 2002 during a hearing yesterday on his confirmation to become deputy attorney general. The article had criticized the Bush administration’s war on terrorism, report the Washington Post and Reuters. “The attorney general is not a…

Jun 16, 2010 3:25 PM CDT

Lawyer Tells 9th Circuit: Detainee’s Suit Against John Yoo Could ‘Open the Floodgate’

A lawyer arguing on behalf of John Yoo told an appellate panel on Monday that the former Justice Department official can’t be liable for his legal advice on national security. Lawyer Miguel Estrada is defending Yoo in a torture lawsuit brought by former detainee Jose Padilla, held for three years…

Jun 15, 2010 3:11 PM CDT

Supreme Court Refuses Cert in Extraordinary Rendition Case

The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal by a Canadian engineer who claims the United States transferred him to Syria to be tortured after he was mistakenly identified as a terrorist. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had dismissed the suit against U.S. officials…

Jun 14, 2010 2:28 PM CDT

Insurer to Pay More, Lawyers to Take Less in New Ground Zero Settlement

Less than three months after a federal judge rejected a proposed settlement for ground zero workers, a new deal has been reached that will put more money in plaintiffs’ pockets. The insurer for New York City will now contribute $712.5 million, an increase from a prior deal to pay up…

Jun 10, 2010 4:08 PM CDT

Seeming Case-Related Slayings This Week: 3 Judges, 2 Clerks, 1 Lawyer, 11 Others

A magistrate judge and a court clerk were shot to death today in Belgium as they were in a courtroom working on a civil case near the Palais de Justice in Brussels. It is the first time in the country’s history that a magistrate has been killed in a courtroom,…

Jun 3, 2010 7:06 PM CDT

ABA Prez Opposes Measure Authorizing Pentagon Probes of Gitmo Lawyers

The American Bar Association is opposing a provision in a House defense bill that authorizes the Pentagon inspector general to investigate lawyers for Guantanamo detainees for suspected misconduct that interferes with operations there. The measure requires an investigation of military or civilian lawyers when there is a reasonable suspicion that…

May 28, 2010 3:01 PM CDT

DC Circuit Rules 3 Detainees at Afghan Airbase Have No Right to Habeas

A federal appeals court has ruled that three detainees held at the Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan do not have a right to a habeas hearing in U.S. courts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled today in the case of two Yemenis and a Tunisian…

May 21, 2010 4:08 PM CDT

Lawyer Catches ID Mixup Missed by ‘Incredibly Bored’ Screener at LaGuardia

Although a screener apparently failed to spot the mismatch between a boarding pass and the identification presented by a man who was allowed to board a commercial jetliner and depart from a New York City airport last week, a personal injury lawyer could hardly miss it. That’s because the man…

May 18, 2010 8:02 PM CDT

Sealed DOJ Motion to Seal Public Transcript OK’d Sans Opinion by DC Circuit in Gitmo Case

An already convoluted case concerning the power of federal courts to intervene in government decisions about where to transfer detainees from the Guantanamo Bay military prison has been further complexified by an unusual effort to seal the transcript of a public appellate court hearing in the case. The motion to…

May 12, 2010 11:09 PM CDT

Holder Wants More Flexible Miranda Rule for Terrorism Suspects

Attorney General Eric Holder says the Obama administration would like to work with Congress to develop a more flexible Miranda rule to allow longer questioning of terrorism suspects before they are advised of their legal rights. Holder outlined his proposal on Sunday morning news shows, telling NBC’s Meet the Press…

May 10, 2010 1:13 PM CDT