-Caveat Lector- Justices turn down challenge to ban on supporting groups considered terrorist <http://www.nandotimes.com/nation/story/0%2C1038%2C500460042-500700631-503811885-0%2C00.html> By LAURIE ASSEO, Associated Press WASHINGTON (March 5, 2001) - The Supreme Court on Monday turned away a free-speech challenge to a ban on contributing money, weapons or other tangible support to foreign groups designated by the government as terrorist organizations. The court, without comment, rejected arguments that the law creates "guilt by association" and bans aid even for lawful activities by such organizations. The justices also rejected the government's bid to reinstate two provisions of the law that a lower court barred from being enforced. The measure is part of the 1996 Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act and was designed to cut off support from within the United States for foreign terrorism. Under the law, the secretary of state can designate a group as a "foreign terrorist organization" if it engages in terrorist activity that threatens the security of the United States or its citizens. It is a crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, to provide such organizations tangible support such as money, weapons, false identification, training or personnel. There is no ban on providing medicine or religious materials. The law was challenged by two U.S. citizens and six domestic organizations, including the Humanitarian Law Project. They said they wanted to provide support for lawful, nonviolent activities by two groups designated as foreign terrorist organizations: the Kurdistan Workers' Party in Turkey and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. A federal judge in Los Angeles upheld most of the law, saying it did not aim to suppress speech. However, the judge barred enforcement of the ban on providing personnel or training. Those provisions were too vague, the court said. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision in March 2000, saying "there is no constitutional right to facilitate terrorism by giving terrorists the weapons and explosives with which to carry out their grisly missions." In the appeal acted on Monday, lawyers for the individuals and organizations said the law "punishes moral innocents" and was similar to McCarthy-era laws that punished association with the Communist Party. Justice Department lawyers said people "remain free to align themselves with designated organizations through expressions of solidarity and advocacy of their causes." ------------ The cases are Humanitarian Law Project v. Ashcroft, 00-910, and Ashcroft v. Humanitarian Law Project, 00-1077. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
