Habeus Corpus rescued by SCOTUS

FLASHBACK:

Tuesday October 17, 2006

By NEDRA PICKLER

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush signed legislation into law Tuesday that authorizes tough interrogation of terror suspects and smooths the way for their trials before military commissions but also gives detainees some legal protections.

Bush's plan for treatment of the terror suspects became law just six weeks after he acknowledged that the CIA had been secretly interrogating suspected terrorists overseas and pressed Congress to quickly give authority to try them in military commissions.

``With the bill I'm about to sign, the men our intelligence officials believe orchestrated the murder of nearly 3,000 innocent people will face justice,'' Bush said.

The bill would protect detainees from blatant abuses during questioning - such as rape, torture and ``cruel and inhuman'' treatment - but does not require that any of them be granted legal counsel. Also, it specifically bars detainees from filing habeas corpus petitions challenging their detentions in federal courts.

October 20, 2006

Olbermann: Special Comment Death Of Habeas Corpus