Litigation

18 Amicus Briefs Filed in Al-Marri Case

By Jason Barrett

A total of 18 amicus briefs have been filed on behalf of Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri, a Qatari national arrested in 2001 in Illinois in the government’s investigation of the attacks on 9/11.  Since that time, Al-Marri has been held in a South Carolina military brig without charges.  The U.S. Supreme Court granted Al-Marri certiorari review on December 5, 2008.

According to SCOTUS Blog, the briefs included  submissions by former U.S. diplomats, former judges, ex-officials of the Justice Department, experts on counter-terrorism, former national security officials, retired military officers, a broad spectrum of scholars of history and law, and legal advocacy groups.

The administration, which is investigating the constitutionality of holding Al-Marri and other detainees without charges, was given an extension until March 23 to file briefs. SCOTUS Blog said, “It appears that, if the case proceeds before the Court, it would be heard in the argument session that begins on April 20.”

Full post as published by The Gavel on February 07, 2009 (boomark / email).