Terrorism

A Touch of Terror?

Court looks at free speech vs. material support for terrorism

Feb 1, 2010 8:40 AM CST

John Yoo Defends Secret Class, Says Protesters Can Enroll if They Want to Attend

In an apparent effort to deter protesters potentially seeking to make a scene at a state constitutional law class taught by the controversial John Yoo, the University of California at Berkeley’s Boalt Hall kept its location on campus a secret. At least temporarily stymied, some 25 individuals gathered earlier this…

Jan 25, 2010 11:08 PM CST

Some Gitmo Detainees Will Be Held But Not Tried; Prosecution Hurdles Cited

The Obama administration has decided to continue to hold about 50 dangerous Guantanamo detainees without trial because their prosecutions are considered too difficult. There are fewer than 200 detainees still at Guantanamo, the New York Times reports. An anonymous administration official told the newspaper that about 50 detainees will continue…

Jan 22, 2010 12:34 PM CST

IG Urges More ‘Corrective Action’ By DOJ re ‘Troubling’ FBI Pursuit of Phone Records

In a report released today (PDF) with some portions redacted, an inspector general for the U.S. Department of Justice calls for “additional corrective action” concerning a long-standing and “troubling” federal law enforcement program of obtaining telephone records without appropriate legal authorization. Citing emergencies that often didn’t exist and sometimes using…

Jan 21, 2010 1:40 AM CST

Lawmaker Rejects US Apology, Asks Why FBI Used His Photo for Bin Laden Wanted Poster

An initially incredulous and now outraged Spanish lawmaker has rejected a United States apology and is demanding an investigation of the FBI’s admitted use of his digitally altered photographic image from a 2004 election photograph. It was the basis for a wanted poster of Osama bin Laden that was displayed…

Jan 20, 2010 1:51 AM CST

Lawyer Tips Feds to Alleged Plot to Kill Federal Prosecutor; 2 Charged

A defense lawyer for a former prison inmate who had been convicted of murder pointed authorities to an alleged plot to kill a federal prosecutor in Chicago, resulting in charges against two men. Two suburban Chicago men, Jack Mann, 41, and Frank Caira, 39, are the defendants in the case,…

Jan 19, 2010 9:28 PM CST

US Helped Mexico Nab High-Profile Suspect in 100s of Grisly Drug Slayings

Cutting-edge electronic surveillance is being credited for the arrest of a second major drug figure in Mexico in less than a month, marking a potential new direction in a bloody drug war in which some 17,000 have been killed over the past three years, many of them police and innocent…

Jan 13, 2010 1:46 AM CST

Meet David Raskin, Top Prosecutor Likely to Handle Case Against Accused 9/11 Mastermind

When Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four other terrorism suspects arrive in New York for trial from the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, David Raskin, at least figuratively, is likely to be there to greet them. The 45-year-old assistant U.S. attorney is expected to be lead prosecutor in case…

Jan 12, 2010 10:02 PM CST

Jon Stewart: Terrorists May Talk if Forced to Watch His Yoo Interview

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Jan 12, 2010 12:43 PM CST

Iraq Veteran Jailed Over Stop-Loss Rap; It’s Just a Song, Lawyer Says

When the rest of his unit deployed to Iraq recently, a U.S. Army specialist who already is a veteran of the war there stayed behind. That’s because Marc Hall has been in custody since early December, accused by the military of making threats against others in a vulgar, violent rap…

Jan 7, 2010 12:01 AM CST

Nigerian Indicted in Alleged Xmas-Day Effort to Explode Airliner

A federal grand jury in Michigan today indicted a Nigerian man on charges that he tried to blow up a Detroit-bound commercial airline flight from Amsterdam on Christmas Day. Authorities say he carried an explosive onto the plane in his underwear but failed to successfully ignite it. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab,…

Jan 6, 2010 11:17 PM CST

DC Circuit Upholds Broad US Power to Detain Terrorism Suspects

A federal appeals court has taken a broad view of the government’s power to detain Guantanamo terrorism suspects. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled today that the president’s power to detain terrorism suspects is not limited by international law, SCOTUSblog reports. Instead, domestic law applies. “The…

Jan 5, 2010 5:57 PM CST

DOJ Stats: Double Trouble for Judges, Prosecutors as Protection Falls Short

Threats and other “inappropriate communications” made to federal judges and prosecutors have more than doubled over a six-year period, and additional efforts are needed to contain them, according to a report by the Department of Justice. Released today, the report called for the U.S. Marshals Service to correct what DOJ…

Jan 5, 2010 12:11 AM CST

4th Circuit Upholds Moussaoui Guilty Plea & Life Term in 9/11 Attacks

A federal appeals court has affirmed the conviction and life sentence for co-conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui, despite claims that he didn’t receive a fair trial concerning his guilty plea to six criminal conspiracy charges in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. “Moussaoui, having pled guilty, has waived all nonjurisdictional errors leading…

Jan 4, 2010 11:24 PM CST

Secret Sharers

A government blunder tipped two lawyers that somebody was spying on them. But a government secrets policy now keeps them from knowing why.

Jan 2, 2010 5:39 AM CST