-Caveat Lector- http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011113/ts/attacks_bush_33.html
By RON FOURNIER, AP White House Correspondent WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites) signed an order Tuesday that would allow for the trial of people accused of terrorism by a special military commission instead of civilian courts, The Associated Press has learned. The order, signed by Bush before he left for Crawford, Texas, gives the Bush administration another avenue to bring the Sept. 11 terrorists to justice, said White House counsel Albert Gonzales. ``This is a new tool to use against terrorism,'' Gonzales said in a telephone interview. The White House was to release the order late Tuesday. Gonzales, a former Texas Supreme Court judge who is the president's top lawyer, said a military commission could have several advantages over a civilian court. It is easier to protect the sources and methods of investigators in military proceedings, for example, and a military trial can be held overseas. Gonzales said there may be times when prosecutors feel a trial in America would be unsafe. ``There may not be a need for this and the president may make a determination that he does not want to use this tool, but he felt it appropriate that he have this tool available to him,'' the lawyer said. Under the order, Bush could establish a military commission in the future by asking the secretary of defense to establish the rules for one. ``This does not identify by name who should be exposed to military justice,'' Gonzales said. ``It just provides the framework that, should the president have findings in the future, he could'' order Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld to establish such a commission. Gonzales said there is precedent for such panels. President Franklin Roosevelt had World War II saboteurs tried by military commission, as did President Lincoln during the Civil War, the lawyer said. Indeed, Lincoln assassination plotters were tried and convicted by military court, he said. ``This is a global war. To have successful prosecutions, we might have to give up sources and methods'' in a civilian court. ``We don't want to have to do that.'' Gonzalez said: ``Any individual subject to the order would be given a full and fair trial, pursuant to the secretary of defense.'' The order is the latest effort by the Bush administration to toughen the nation's laws against terrorists. After the Sept. 11 attacks, the administration pushed through Congress an anti-terrorism bill that civil liberties groups say went to far, violating Americans' constitutional rights. It expands the FBI (news - web sites)'s wiretapping and electronic surveillance authority and imposes stronger penalties for harboring or financing terrorists. The measure also increases the number of crimes considered terrorist acts and toughens the punishments for committing them. <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
