Bush held American 3 years as dirty bomb 'enemy'. No mention of that now.

[bigtree]

Former 'Enemy Combatant' Pleads Not Guilty

Thursday January 12, 2006

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-5541301,00.html

MIAMI (AP) - Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen who was held for more than three years as an ``enemy combatant,'' pleaded not guilty Thursday to criminal charges alleging he was part of a secret network that supported violent Muslim extremists around the world.

Padilla entered the plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Garber one week after being transferred from military to civilian custody.

The judge also began hearing arguments to determine whether Padilla should be released on bail, which is opposed by federal prosecutors.

Padilla, 35, was indicted in November on charges of conspiring to murder U.S. nationals and providing material support to terrorists as part of a North American cell that provided money, material and fighters for violent Islamic jihad. If convicted, he faces a potential life sentence.

The former Chicago gang member and Muslim convert was held for 3 years as an enemy combatant after U.S. officials claimed he plotted as an al-Qaida operative to detonate a radioactive ``dirty bomb'' and blow up apartment buildings in major U.S. cities. But the indictment makes no mention of those allegations.


Three years without trial or charges. How can this man get a fair trial in America with allof the bias of the government against him? I hope that the court and the jury recognize the absurdity of Bush insisting Padilla was an al-Qaeda operative for three years, not having enough evidence to charge him, and holding him anyway.


related: Post-9/11 Shell Game
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051219/cole

[realFedUp]

1. Didn't the gov. have to change the charges...doesn't stop pundits

from continuing to call him a "dirty bomb terrorist".

I'd sue.

[bigtree]

2. the appeals panel that allowed Bush to detain him was going to revisit

their ruling, and likely rule to release him, which would have forced Bush to go to the SC to get their approval to continue holding him. The SC did rule in the Hammid case that Bush had the authority to hold enemy combatants but Padilla was arrested here in the states, the other case involved an arrest on the battlefield. There was real concern from Bush that he might just get his whole rationale for detentions, spying, all the crap that he claims to have authority for because of the authorization for action against the 9-11 terrorists, overturned. He didn't want to open that can so he opted to put Padilla in criminal court on these generic charges that won't presumably end up in the Supreme Court.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. The US military has it's underwear wrapped around it's ankles

The "terrorists" are leading them by the nose. All the crisp wool uniforms, shiny medals, and tight hair cuts are no match for UBL. They know it, the detention of 4th rate punks like Padilla is THE BEST THEY CAN DO.