RASUL V. BUSH
Whatever traction the presumption against extraterritoriality might have in other contexts, it certainly has no application to the operation of the habeas statute with respect to persons detained within “the territorial jurisdiction” of the United States. Foley Bros., Inc. v. Filardo, 336 U.S. 281, 285 (1949). By the express terms of its agreements with Cuba, the United States exercises “complete jurisdiction and control” over the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and may continue to exercise such control permanently if it so chooses. 1903 Lease Agreement, Art. III; 1934 Treaty, Art. III. Respondents themselves concede that the habeas statute would create federal-court jurisdiction over the claims of an American citizen held at the base. Tr. of Oral Arg. 27. Considering that the statute draws no distinction between Americans and aliens held in federal custody, there is little reason to think that Congress intended the geographical coverage of the statute to vary depending on the detainee’s citizenship.10 Aliens held at the base, no less than American citizens, are entitled to invoke the federal courts’ authority under §2241.
yeah these gitmo is considered u.s. soil legally when it comes to court jurisdiction.
whats scary is that these prisoners are going to get the best lawyers money has to buy, as saudi arabia has been paying millions to get lawyers for these guys. and want to pay millions more to defend them all.
what a perversion of our democracy.
Here is some common sense and conservative jurisprudence from Justice Scalia, Rehnquist and Thomas.P>A preview:
"The Court today holds that the habeas statute, 28 U.S.C. § 2241 extends to aliens detained by the United States military overseas, outside the sovereign borders of the United States and beyond the territorial jurisdictions of all its courts. This is not only a novel holding; it contradicts a half-century-old precedent on which the military undoubtedly relied, Johnson v. Eisentrager, 339 U.S. 763 (1950). The Court’s contention that Eisentrager was somehow negated by Braden v. 30th Judicial Circuit Court of Ky., 410 U.S. 484 (1973)–a decision that dealt with a different issue and did not so much as mention Eisentrager–is implausible in the extreme. This is an irresponsible overturning of settled law in a matter of extreme importance to our forces currently in the field. I would leave it to Congress to change §2241, and dissent from the Court’s unprecedented holding."
You stick with Justice Stevens and Admiral Mullen, I'll stick with General Pace and Justice Thomas.
This decision has no standing. Congress revised the laws as a result of this. Federal courts have no jurisdiction over habeas corpus of the Gitmo detainees. Judge Kennedy also tried to assert that Gitmo is US territory but considering the terminology of the lease, his opinion has no standing.