Jose Padilla - A Constitutional Challenge for Us All

Category: Americas, World Affairs Topics: Conflicts And War, Government And Politics Views: 3943
3943

In a landmark victory for constitutional protections and the separation of powers in the post-9/11 era, a panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 ruling barring the president from declaring a U.S. citizen an "enemy combatant" without congressional authorization. In a decision likely to influence another case on enemy combatants before the Supreme Court case, the federal appeals court ordered the government to release U.S. citizen Jose Padilla from military custody in thirty days, with the option of transferring Padilla to civilian authorities for a criminal trial. The ruling marks a growing judicial backlash against unfettered presidential authority during a period of war. Given the week's events, the ruling couldn't have come at a better time. With controversy over the status of Guantanamo detainees and the PATRIOT Act growing to a feverish pitch, it's about time the Constitution gained a voice, and an arm strong enough to back it up.

If the greatest threat to constitutional freedoms weighs heaviest on the backs of the minority, then a prime candidate for this can easily be found in enemy combatants such as Jose Padilla. A poor kid from a Puerto Rican family who cut his teeth on the streets of Chicago, it didn't take long for Padilla to find his way from gang life to the arms of the law by the time he was 13 years old. His run-ins with the law seemed to end after he spent a year in a Florida jail, converting to a radical sect of Islam in the process. After stints in a series of fringe mosques and Afghani schools, Padilla had a meeting with Al-Qaeda chief of operations Abu Zubaydah to build a so-called "dirty bomb" bound for the United States, FBI officials allege. Since Padilla's arrest, however, intelligence officials have openly discredited Abu Zubaydah, calling his reliability "uncertain at best". Moreover, the Associated Press released a story in August quoting law-enforcement officials who have dismissed Padilla's role in Al-Qaeda as a "small fish", whose plans never got past the drawing board.

These large problems with the government's case might explain why, a day before conservative Judge Michael Mukasey was set to rule on Padilla's status as a material witness in the "dirty bomb" case, the Defense Department removed the prisoner in the middle of the night to a Navy brig in Charleston, South Carolina. The next day, Attorney General Ashcroft held a press conference declaring Padilla an "enemy combatant" who would be held in the military brig without a warrant, access to an attorney, or any charges filed against him. The entire episode reeked of under-handed tactics and desperate attempts by the Justice Department to show, with the capture of Padilla, that it was effectively fighting the war on terror and keeping the 'bad guys' locked away -- even if that meant suspending all constitutional protections of the accused in the process.

After a year and a half of physical isolation and legal abandonment, it is time that Padilla has his day in court. As Senator John McCain has openly questioned, if the government has enough evidence to formally charge Padilla, why are they so adamantly opposed to presenting it before a judge? Hopefully, in thirty days time, the truth behind Padilla's imprisonment will come to light. However, with the option still open to challenge the panel's ruling, the government can at least temporarily keep him behind bars as an "enemy combatant" at the president's discretion. 

Obviously, the repercussions of this case extend far beyond the rights and livelihood of a man who's turned his back against authority for much of his life. The horror is this story could happen to anyone -- citizen or non-citizen. The actions of the Administration in this case defy the fundamental role of our constitutional rights: protecting the rights of the minority against the tyranny of the state. If all of us can't find something to get riled up about in the case of Jose Padilla, then the Constitution will have lost its last line of defense against tyrannical rule -- an informed and active populace.

BRIGID O'NEIL is Research Assistant in the Center on Peace & Liberty at The Independent Institute. Ms. O'Neil received her B.A. Cum Laude in political science and women's studies from Tulane University. Elected to Mortar Board and Oak Wreath, she is the recipient of a Josephine Louise Fellowship, Ann Gill Memorial Award, and Kathy Goldberg Senior Role Model Award. She has served as an intern for Arthur Cox (Dublin, Ireland) and Rights of Women (London, England), and has studied with the Newcomb Center for Research on Women and London School of Economics and Political Science.


  Category: Americas, World Affairs
  Topics: Conflicts And War, Government And Politics
Views: 3943

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Older Comments:
[email protected] FROM AMERICA said:
As far as we know he never even seen Saudia Arabia or Afghanistan, as his family suffers waiting with no financial help for over 2 years, and what crime did they commit.
Two kids and a wife one of the kids never even saw his father yet, no consideration for them I guess that's the casualities of the war on terrorism.
2004-04-14

BEN PERZANOWSKI FROM USA said:
I would not want to change places with Padilla. But I also would not place myself in a position to be in his perdicament. Protecting the rights of all citizens can often be accomplished by protecting the rights of each citizen. but not always.

The first duty is to the defense of the country as a whole. If a citizen is part of a threat to the whole, that person is more contemptable than an outsider. We still have individual rights, but at some point an individual effectively forfiets those rights through actions that bring dangers to the rest of us.

The reality of Padilla is yet to be determined. It must not be assumed he is guilty of treason. Nor would a cautious person assume he is innocent under the world conditions that exist.

Once 9-11 occured a magnifying glass was focused on activities that could bring about more of this tragedy. Rules changed, not all for the better. The realy difficult part is to treat, within the bounds of our laws, people who do not share the principles and philosophy that are the foundation of those laws. And who maybe trying to destroy those of us who believe in these laws and rights.
2003-12-22

H.A. FROM YATHRIB said:
Hose/Jose Padilla is more innocent that the Amercia's emotional SMART Boy.

He should be freed immediately. No questions asked.

That's my view & I am going to stick to it.
2003-12-20

YAHYA BERGUM FROM USA said:
Newsweek has reported that the U.S. Army (Muslim Chaplain) Captain Youseff Yee quietly returned to active duty last month. Alhamdulillah!
2003-12-20

L. ALAHEM FROM USA said:
It is about time that the judicial abuses are reversed and reason makes a stand again. Those who would suspend our constitutional rights to "fight terrorism" will surrender the fight in the same instant. Our country is not a lily white knight in shining armor, by any means, but those freedoms, those rights, include the right not to be abused by authority. To throw it away in the face of adversity is to surrender.
2003-12-19

YAHYA BERGUM FROM USA said:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds! O Allah, thank You, thank You!
2003-12-19