SUPREME COURT upholds law against advising terrorists

[avaistheone1]

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that human rights advocates can be prosecuted if they give advice to members of a foreign terrorist group, even if they urge them to settle their disputes through peaceful means.

The 6-3 decision upheld a broad anti-terrorism law that makes it a crime for Americans to provide "material support" to a designated terrorist group, including by offering them advice or training.

The law had been challenged on free-speech grounds by several human rights advocates, including USC professor Ralph Fertig. He had worked with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, an outlawed group which supports independence for the Kurds in Turkey. Fertig said he firmly opposed violence and terrorism, but he believed he should be permitted to advise the groups on resolving its disputes through the United Nations.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said Fertig and the others are free to speak on their own on behalf of the Kurds. However, they are in danger of criminal prosecution, he said, if these advocates work with the PKK in giving legal advice.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-court-terror-20100622,0,5090110.story


:thumbsdown:

[depakid]

1. Congress could change that if they wanted

"We are deeply disappointed," said David Cole, a lawyer who represented Fertig. "The Court said that the 1st Amendment permits Congress to make it a crime to work for peace and human rights. That is wrong."

but according to this court- the 1st Amendment protects corporate money corrupting the US political system!

LOL.

[tekisui]

2. I wonder if this would include the Red Cross who recently gave

life-saving training to the Taliban?