Non-US citizens rights to challenge detention taken away

U.S. President George Bush today signed a bill allowing tough CIA interrogation and military trials of terrorism suspects. The expected purpose of this "torture" bill is to legally allow intelligence professionals to use techniques like sleep deprivation and induced hypothermia while questioning "terror" suspects without facing legal court challenges from the suspects.

"This bill provides legal protections that ensure our military and intelligence personnel will not have to fear lawsuits filed by terrorists, simply for doing their jobs," Bush said, lauding the CIA interrogation program as a "vital tool" that has thwarted numerous attacks. At the signing ceremony, Mr Bush could not resist a swipe at Democrats, an indirect shot far short of campaign stump speeches in which he charges they are soft on terrorism.

TimesOnline reports the other side of the bill from a legal angle. The bill strips away the right to challenge detention without charge from all non-US citizens not just those detained outside the U.S but including those within the U.S. This means the CIA can pick anyone up without charges for questioning using torture techniques and not allow him or her to legally challenge the detention in courts. This applies to the 12 million permanent residents who are not citizens. This should be a serious consideration for anyone trying to legally immigrate to the U.S. You just lost another right universally accepted in western society.

Legal challenges saying that it is unconstitutional to remove the right of habeas corpus from anyone are already in train. But the potential application to 12 million people within the US will add political heat that was absent when it covered only 500 prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.