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Supreme Court to Hear ‘Enemy Combatant’ Case

The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will hear the case of Jose Padilla. Padilla, an American citizen, was arrested after returning to the U.S. from Pakistan, accused of plotting a “dirty bomb” attack, and has been held without trial as an enemy combatant.

The court’s ruling, expected in the summer, could potentially effect the Bush administration policy of holding some suspected terrorists in military custody without trial.

The Padilla case is considered particularly noteworthy because he was captured on U.S. soil and was initially charged with crimes in the civilian court system. Later, he was taken into military custody.

The Bush administration contends that it was acting within its authority in the name of national security. Opponents believe that Padilla, even as a potential threat to security, has a constitutional right to a fair trial and due process.

Scott Bradford has been putting his opinions on his website since 1995—before most people knew what a website was. He has been a professional web developer in the public- and private-sector for over twenty years. He is an independent constitutional conservative who believes in human rights and limited government, and a Catholic Christian whose beliefs are summarized in the Nicene Creed. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. He loves Pink Floyd and can play the bass guitar . . . sort-of. He’s a husband, pet lover, amateur radio operator, and classic AMC/Jeep enthusiast.