Guantanamo prisoners could soon be on U.S. streets

Houston News.Net
Friday 4th July, 2008

The U.S. government is concerned a Supreme Court ruling about the legal rights of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, could see suspected terrorists walking free.

The high court ruling, which gave all detainees the right to petition for immediate release, has given the Bush administration the impetus to discuss the future of the 270 detainees held at the U.S. naval base.

President Bush strongly disagreed with the Supreme Court decision that the foreigners held under indefinite detention at Guantanamo have the right to seek release in civilian courts.

The 5-4 ruling was the third time the justices had questioned the policies of the Bush administration on suspects held outside the protection of US law.

Attorney General Michael Mukasey had predicted that the Supreme Court's decision will unleash hundreds of requests from detainees seeking their freedom.

Judges at Washington's federal courthouse are already processing cases from Guantanamo Bay detainees.

The cases will force the Justice Department to say why the detainees are being held and defend the decision to label them enemy combatants.

National security analysts say if the matter remains in the hands of civilian courts, there is the possibility that detainees could be released in the United States.

They say the government will have to work out a legal method to ensure enemy combatants are not afforded the same constitutional rights as ordinary Americans.

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