Supreme Court to decide terrorism support law

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Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court said on Wednesday it would hear an Obama administration appeal defending part of the Patriot Act, which has been criticized by civil liberties groups for giving the government broad powers.

The justices agreed to review a U.S. appeals court ruling that struck down as unconstitutionally vague a law that makes it a crime to provide support to a foreign terrorist group.

The law, first adopted in 1996, was strengthened by the USA Patriot Act supported by then-President George W. Bush and approved by Congress right after the September 11 attacks in 2001. It was amended again in 2004.

The high court is expected to hear arguments in the case early next year, with a decision likely by June. It will be the first time the court will consider part of the Patriot Act.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE58T4DO20090930

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1. Obama administration DEFENDED this law?

And I thought it was all about Change...including rewriting Bush's wrongs!

Further in the Reuters article:

The law does not require any proof that the defendant intended to further any act of terrorism or violence by the foreign group.

"The material support law resurrects guilt by association and makes it a crime for a human rights group in the United States to provide human rights training," said David Cole, a Georgetown University law professor and the lead attorney challenging the law.