IN THE NEWS - Supreme Court Hearings on Guantanamo Prisoners

IN THE NEWS - Supreme¹ Court Hearings on Guantanamo Prisoners
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Saturday, April 24, 2004

This is Bob Doughty² with In the News, in VOA Special English.

The United States Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the rights of foreign terrorism suspects. The cases involve prisoners held at the United States Naval⁴ Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

About six-hundred men from more than forty countries are held there. Most were captured during fighting in Afghanistan. This followed the September eleventh, two-thousand-one, attacks on the United States by al-Qaida.

Osama bin⁵ Laden's group had camps in Afghanistan with support from the Taleban, which ruled the country. Those held are suspected members of al-Qaida or Taleban fighters.

The Supreme Court heard appeals in cases brought by family members of sixteen British, Australian and Kuwaiti citizens. These are current or former prisoners at Guantanamo. Many have been held for two years. They have been not charged with crimes or permitted to speak directly with lawyers.

 
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Human rights groups and foreign governments have criticized the situation. The Bush administration has refused to declare those held at Guantanamo prisoners of war. People who are declared prisoners of war have legal rights. They are protected by the rules of the Geneva Conventions.

Instead, the administration has declared the men unlawful enemy combatants. It says it has the right to hold them as long as necessary. Two lower federal courts have agreed.

The administration bases its case on a Supreme Court ruling from nineteen-fifty. The high court ruled that foreign prisoners held outside the United States in connection with a war are not protected by a federal law. This law permits prisoners to dispute the government's right to hold them.

Ted³ Olson is the top lawyer for the Bush administration. He told the nine justices that the United States is at war. His wife, Barbara, was among three-thousand people killed in the September eleventh attacks. Mister Olson argued that the Guantanamo naval base is outside the control of the federal courts.

He said the base is still officially a part of Cuba. The United States has control of the base under agreements reached with Cuba one-hundred years ago.

Retired⁷ federal judge John Gibbons represented the suspects. Mister Gibbons argued that American law does govern the base. He said the men should have a right to defend themselves in American courts.

The Supreme Court justices appeared divided as they questioned the lawyers.

The Bush administration has released one-hundred-forty-six prisoners from Guantanamo during the past two years. It also has announced plans to put six people on trial before a military court.

Next week, the Supreme Court will hear two more cases. These involve American citizens held as enemy combatants. The court is expected to give its decisions by the end of June.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Bob Doughty.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

3 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

4 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

5 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

6 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。