A federal judge in Manhattan refused yesterday to reverse a ruling that Jose Padilla, who has been held for nine months in military custody, be allowed to meet with lawyers challenging his detention as an enemy combatant. But the judge, Michael B. Mukasey of Federal District Court, suggested that he was ready to approve Mr. Padilla’s detention if the government would only allow the process to proceed. In a 35-page ruling, the judge showed impatience and irritation with the government over its failure to agree on conditions for a meeting between Mr. Padilla and his lawyers. Mr. Padilla, who has been accused of plotting to explode a radioactive bomb in the United States, is being held in a Navy brig in South Carolina. “Lest any confusion remain,” the judge wrote, “this is not a suggestion or a request that Padilla be permitted to consult with counsel, and it is certainly not an invitation to conduct a further `dialogue’ about whether he will be permitted to do so.” “It is a ruling — a determination — that he will be permitted to do so,” the judge added. Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.