[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: MagiK, the problem is we do not KNOW the veracity of your statement that these people are intimately connected to terror. We do not know that they are intimately connected to anything, as we do not know their names, what they are linked to, or what they have done. They can't prove they're not intimately connected because they have no lawyer and no charges to dispute.

According to the NY Times article you quoted, Timber, the detainees DO have lawyers representing them. The gov't just isn't releasing the names of these legal counselors to the general public. The fact that legal representation is being provided was mentioned by representatives from both sides of the issue.

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: The 2-to-1 decision by a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia was a rebuff to the civil liberties and other groups that were challenging the Bush administration's refusal to provide the names and other information about people, mostly immigrants, held in connection with the 9/11 terrorism investigation, on the ground of national security. The court said the government could withhold the dates and locations of arrest, detention and release of all detainees, including those charged with federal crimes, and the names of lawyers representing them. . . . Ralph G. Neas, president of People for the American Way, a coalition member, said in a statement that the court's action could presage a "stunning rollback of rights in America." "This ruling gives amazing deference to the Justice Department and cripples the critical role of oversight in protecting rights in America," Mr. Neas said. "This ruling allows the Department of Justice to bury these secret arrests even deeper. Now the public is denied access even to the names of attorneys representing detainees."

And if these detainees do have attorneys representing them, doesn't that imply that they have been charged with some type of crime?? I may be wrong about that, but if they aren't facing charges, then they technically shouldn't need legal counsel...should they? Let me know if that is a correct assumption or not.