JURIST - Paper Chase: Graham proposes barring foreign terror suspects from US courts

[JURIST] US Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) [official website] has proposed legislation that would block suspected foreign terrorists held at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] from using US courts to challenge their detentions. The amendment to the 2006 defense appropriations bill [bill summary] currently before the US Senate could be voted on as early as Thursday. Human rights groups have characterized the amendment as an attack on the rule of law [CCR press release], the principle of habeas corpus and the separation of powers. Graham, however, has said the amendment is necessary to avoid "criminalizing the war" and that enemy combatants [JURIST news archive] and POWs "have never had access to federal court before." Earlier this week, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge [JURIST report] to the Bush administration's use of military tribunals [JURIST news archive] for foreign terror suspects. AP has more.

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