JURIST - Paper Chase: Guantanamo detainee files emergency motion to prevent transfer to Algeria

[JURIST] Algerian Guantanamo Bay detainee Ahmed Belbacha [BBC profile] filed an emergency appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit Monday to stop the government from transferring him from Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] to his home country, after US District Judge Rosemary M. Collyer denied his motion [AP report] to stay the transfer last week. The federal appeals court issued a temporary order [SCOTUSblog report] disallowing the federal government from transferring Belbacha until the court is able to fully "consider the merits of the motion to stay." The government was ordered to respond to the motion by 4 PM Tuesday.

Belbacha filed the motion because he says that he will be tortured and perhaps killed if returned to Algeria. His lawyers have asked for help from the UK, where Belbacha lived for three years, but British officials will only intervene in cases involving British citizens. The Times has more.

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