Lawyers: Qaeda Suspect Has Legal Rights
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
RICHMOND, Va. — Attorneys for an immigrant the Bush administration calls a Qaeda sleeper agent argued yesterday that their client is being detained unconstitutionally and should be allowed to challenge his imprisonment in court.
Ali al-Marri, the only person being held as an enemy combatant on American soil — has indisputable rights as a legal resident of America, including the right to due process and the right to challenge his accusers in a court of law, his lawyer, Jonathan Hafetz, told a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
“The basic question is whether criminal or military law governs this case,” Mr. Hafetz said.
