Tuesday 8 November 2005

Breaking News!
High Court To Hear Tribunal Case, With Extraordinary Secret Measures Taken

Session To Be Closed, In Secret Location; Cheney Office Watching As Friend of the Court

The Supreme Court yesterday agreed to hear and rule on the case of the Bush Administrations military tribunals for captured, accused terrorists and enemy combatants, setting the stage for the fulfillment of the Bush Doctrine, as well as the most significant reach of presidental war powers since World War II.

In a break from traditional court practices, the Justices will conduct the hearing in secret, and at an undisclosed location. The decision, whatever it will be, will not be announced to the public or published. There is, for the first time, a total blackout placed over a Supreme Court case.

"This is truly extraordinary," said Sonny Earl, editor of a Supreme Court newsletter that monitors the court's activities, 'OMIB" ('The Original Men In Black'). "When you look at the spectrum of cases that have come before the court, to go to these lengths, it clearly prejudices the appellent and favors the Bush position."

The case, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld , No. 05-184, is that of Osama bin Laden's former driver, Salim Ahmed Hamdan, who has appealed lower court rulings.

On Nov. 13, 2001, Bush issued a "military order" declaring that panels of military officers would try suspected terrorists for violations of the laws of war.

Hamdan's lawyers have argued that the Geneva Conventions entitles their client to an impartial hearing to determine whether he qualifies as a prisoner of war, and to a court-martial - unless he is found to be an unlawful combatant. Any trials would have to be approved by Congress's express approval, or else, Hamden's attorneys stated, they could be changed and manipulated by the president alone.

Hamdan's tribunal began in August 2004 but was halted by U.S. District Judge James Robertson in Washington. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, including now Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., overturned Robertson in July.

Justice Roberts has recused himself in Hamdan's appeal to the Supreme Court, setting the stage for a possible 4-4 ruling. If that were to occur, the case would revert back to the lower courts' ruling.

Chief Justice Roberts, in a brief statement, would only say that the location of the hearing is "in the United States", and "in an appropriate arena."

Since the announcement, there has been raging speculation, that the case may be hear in Vice President Cheney's Secret Bunker.

"They could be having it there," says Earl. "They have the space, and all the technology and amenities."

The Vice President's office, in, also, a brief statement, denied that the case would be held in the Secret Bunker.

David Addington, Vice President Cheney's new Chief of Staff did say that "The Vice President is watching this case with profound interest."

When questioned, Addington did admit that the Vice President's office will be present at the hearing, as a "special friend to the court."

Cheney, along with Addington the rest of the Vice President's staff is pressing lawmakers on the Hill to exclude the CIA for any torture bans they may be comtemplating.

"Between this secret hearing, and Cheney's efforts to allow the CIA to torture people," said Earl, "Hamdan better hope his lawyers win this case. If he loses, I suspect Cheney's office to write a brief to the court to hand him over - immediately - to the CIA."













In Iraq, the Al-Jazeera TV Network has gotten caught up in 'Sweeps Month' by broadcasting a Muslim-version of 'The Apprentice'.

The Grand Prize for the winning team is that they get to live.