Bush administration opposes Gitmo commissions appeal to Supreme Court News
Bush administration opposes Gitmo commissions appeal to Supreme Court

[JURIST] The Bush administration has asked the US Supreme Court to reject an appeal from a US DC Circuit Court of Appeals decision [PDF text] supporting the administration's use of military commissions to try detainees at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive]. Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a Yemeni who once served as Osama bin Laden's driver, is challenging procedures [JURIST report] used in the commissions, but the Justice Department argued in its brief opposing certiorari that the trial should proceed because Hamdan would have opportunities to raise legal objections later. The Department also argued that Hamdan can be held as an enemy combatant regardless of whether he is acquitted at trial. Ethical concerns [JURIST report] have arisen in the case because Chief Justice nominee John Roberts [JURIST news archive] was interviewing with the White House at the time he was on the panel that decided the case in favor of the government. The US Department of Defense recently revised procedures [JURIST report] used by the military commissions at Guantanamo in an effort to make them more similar to civil process. AP has more.