Anti-terrorism law creators voice concern over Patriot Act

[bpilgrim]

By Richard B. Schmitt
Los Angeles Times

Viet Dinh

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department's war on terrorism has drawn intense scrutiny from the left and the right. Now, a chief architect of the USA Patriot Act and a former top assistant to Attorney General John Ashcroft are joining the fray, voicing concern about aspects of the administration's anti-terrorism policy.

At issue is the government's power to designate and detain "enemy combatants," in particular in the case of "dirty-bomb" plot suspect Jose Padilla, the New York-born former gang member who was picked up at a Chicago airport 18 months ago by the FBI and locked in a military brig without access to a lawyer.

Civil-liberties groups and others contend that Padilla, as an American citizen arrested in the United States, is being denied due process of law under the Constitution.

Viet Dinh, who until May headed up the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy, said in a series of recent speeches and in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that he thinks the government's detention of Padilla is flawed and unlikely to survive court review.

more...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2001804469_patriot01.html

peace

[maddezmom]

1. reminds of when Perle slipped up

and said it was an illegal war. These guys are forgetting their speaking points and telling the truth. Or should I say their version of the truth.