DOJ trying to block legal access to detainee who could disclose CIA techniques News
DOJ trying to block legal access to detainee who could disclose CIA techniques

[JURIST] The US Department of Justice [official website] is attempting to block lawyers' access to Majid Khan, one of 14 "high value" prisoners [DNI profiles, PDF] previously held at a CIA secret prison [JURIST report] but recently transferred to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba [JURIST archive]. The Washington Post reported Saturday that DOJ lawyers argued in court papers filed on October 26 with US District Judge Reggie B. Walton [official profile] that allowing access to Khan could compromise CIA interrogation tactics and locations. Although the papers did not point to any specific knowledge Khan may possess, the government contends that simply by being involved in the CIA interrogation system he could disclose information the US government believes should remain classified.

The Center for Constitutional Rights [official website], which represents many detainees at Guantanamo, filed a habeas corpus petition [press release, petition text. PDF] on Khan's behalf on October 3. The Washington Post has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

UN General Assembly approves Palestine partition plan

The UN General Assembly approved UN Resolution Resolution 181 (II) on November 29, 1947, recommending that the British Mandate for Palestine be split into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and an international zone for Jerusalem. The vote in the assembly was 33 for to 13 against, with 10 abstentions. The resolution sparked a war between Palestinian Arabs and Jews in 1947 and a wider war after Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon invaded the new State of Israel in 1948. Read Resolution 181 (II).

UN divided Palestine between Arabs and Jews

On November 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab territories, leading to the establishment of a Jewish state the following year. Read UN General Assembly Resolution 181.

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