CCR ASKS SUPREME COURT TO INTERVENE IN CASE OF LIBYAN GUANTÁNAMO CLIENT WHO FEARS TORTURE IF REPATRIATED TO HOME COUNTRY- On September 24, 2007, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) submitted a petition to the Supreme Court asking it to intervene in the case of Libyan Guantánamo client Abdul Ra’ouf Al Qassim and prevent his transfer to Libya, where he would likely be tortured and possibly killed.

CCR CONDEMNS DISTRICT COURT JUDGE’S DECISION TO DISMISS ALL GUANTÁNAMO HABEAS PETITIONS AHEAD OF SUPREME COURT CASE- On September 20, 2007, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) condemned a D.C. District Court judge’s decision to dismiss all 16 habeas corpus petitions of Guantánamo detainees that were pending before his court. The one-paragraph decision justified the dismissal of the petitions by arguing that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Boumediene v. Bush meant that “[f]ederal courts have no jurisdiction” over the detainees at Guantánamo.

CCR WELCOMES SUPPORT OF MAJORITY OF SENATORS FOR SPECTER-LEAHY AMENDMENT RESTORING HABEAS CORPUS FOR GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEES- The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) recognizes that the September 19, 2007 Senate vote on the habeas-restoring amendment introduced by Senators Specter, Leahy, and Dodd to the Defense Authorization Bill demonstrates that a majority of Senators support the restoration of habeas corpus that was stripped away by the last Congress in the Military Commissions Act (MCA). While this was not enough votes to overcome a Republican filibuster, it is an improvement from prior votes on the issue.

COURT OF APPEALS DISMISSES CCR CASE AGAINST CATERPILLAR FOR DEATHS AND INJURIES IN PALESTINIAN HOME DEMOLITIONS- On September 17, 2007, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of CCR’s case charging Caterpillar, Inc. with aiding and abetting war crimes and other serious human rights violations on the grounds that the company provided bulldozers to Israel knowing they would be used unlawfully to demolish homes and endanger civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

CCR CASE ARGUED BEFORE COURT OF APPEALS; FIRST CASE FILED BY FORMER GUANTÁNAMO DETAINEES DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR TORTURE, ABUSE- On September 14, 2007, Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) co-counsel argued the appeal of the first case filed by Guantánamo detainees seeking to hold U.S. officials accountable for the physical, psychological, and religious torture and abuse at the offshore prison camp. The civil case – Rasul v. Rumsfeld – was filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) along with co-counsel in October 2004 on behalf of four British citizens who were unjustly held for more than three years.

CCR IN COURT TODAY TO CHALLENGE NSA DOMESTIC SPYING PROGRAM AND NEW FISA LAW- On August 9, 2007, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) appeared before Federal District Judge Vaughn R. Walker to argue that the NSA’s program of warrantless surveillance is unconstitutional and should be struck down. The argument in CCR v. Bush comes days after Congress and the Bush administration passed the Protect America Act of 2007 which broadly expands the government’s power to spy on Americans without getting court approval.

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT RELEASES PREVIOUSLY REDACTED INFORMATION REVEALING CIA INVOLVEMENT IN CCR CLIENT MAHER ARAR’S RENDITION - On August 9, 2007, the Canadian government released new information regarding the rendition of Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) client Maher Arar that it had previously redacted due to “national security” concerns. The information exposes the CIA’s role in Mr. Arar’s rendition.

CCR APPEALS DISMISSAL OF CASE CHARGING FORMER ISRAELI GENERAL WITH WAR CRIMES IN ATTACK ON UNITED NATIONS COMPOUND- On August 30, 2007, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) appealed a lower court dismissal in a class-action civil case that charges a former Israeli official with war crimes and extrajudicial killing for his role in the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF’s) shelling of a UN compound in Lebanon, which killed more than 100 Lebanese civilians who had taken shelter there.

CCR SAYS GONZALES RESIGNATION WELCOMED BUT NOTHING TO CELEBRATE: ILLEGAL TORTURE, RENDITION, SPYING PRACTICES MUST STOP- On August 27, 2007, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) welcomed the resignation of Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General of the United States and now calls upon Congress to investigate his role in the Bush administration's abuse of Executive authority.

GUANTÁNAMO SUPREME COURT BRIEF FILED TODAY ARGUES THAT EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS NOT ABOVE THE RULE OF LAW- On August 24, 2007, Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) attorneys and co-counsel submitted a ground-breaking brief to the Supreme Court in the case that will determine whether detainees at Guantánamo possess the fundamental constitutional rights to due process and habeas corpus.