[JURIST] Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) [official website], a Republican member of the US Senate Intelligence Committee [official website], Sunday questioned the legitimacy of the Bush administration's domestic surveillance program [JURIST news archive], casting doubt on its legality in the absence of judicial or Congressional authority. Notwithstanding legal defenses of the intercepts by President Bush [JURIST report], Vice President Cheney [JURIST report], and the US Department of Justice [JURIST report], Hagel denied that the President was given broad "blank check" authority to conduct any kind of domestic spying, saying that "If in fact the president does believe that our current laws are restricting him because of new technologies...then he should come together with Congress and say we need to amend it." The Senate Judiciary Committee [official website] will hold hearings on the program beginning February 6. The Senate Intelligence Committee will also hold similar closed-door hearings. AP has more.

[JURIST] The UK plan for national identification cards [BBC backgrounder, JURIST news archive] received another setback Sunday when Lord Carlile [party profile], the Liberal Democrat peer appointed by the British government as an independent reviewer of its anti-terror laws, said that the ID cards would be of "limited value" against terrorism and would not have prevented the London bombings [BBC backgrounder] in July. Carlile, who had previously supported the cards, also acknowledged their potential threat to civil liberties. The national ID plan was recently blocked [JURIST report] by the House of Lords [official website] due to objections to three aspects of the proposal [bill text], including questions of cost. The plan was first announced [JURIST report] by Prime Minister Tony Blair [official website] last spring, but was only narrowly approved [JURIST report] in the House of Commons [official website] in June. The government is likely to try and overturn the Lords' block on the ID plan when the bill returns to the Commons. BBC News has more.

[JURIST] Several detainees involved in the continuing Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] hunger strikes are close to death, according to lawyers acting for the detainees. Despite force-feedings by the US military, there is concern for two emaciated Yemenis and a hospitalized Saudi prisoner. Reprieve [advocacy website], an international prisoners' rights group, is set to release a report Monday on the grave condition of Yemenis Abu Bakah al-Shamrani and Abu Anas. Last week the US military announced [JURIST report] that the number of detainees participating in hunger strikes had reached its lowest point since October 2005 - only 22, with 17 of those receiving nourishment via feeding tubes - but offered no reasons for the dropoff. While force-feeding has been declared humane [American Forces Press report] by medical officials at Guantanamo, lawyers for the detainees dispute [JURIST report] the assertion. The detainees are protesting their indefinite captivity in the US military camp. The London Sunday Times has more.

[JURIST] The Saddam Hussein trial [JURIST news archive] resumed briefly Sunday under new Kurdish chief judge Ra'uf Rasheed Abdel-Rahman [Aljazeera profile] but was adjourned again after Hussein, defense lawyers, and two co-defendants left the courtroom protesting the earlier removal of Saddam's half brother and co-defendant Barzan al-Tikriti. Abdel-Rahman, who replaced Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin [JURIST news archive] earlier this month, opened the proceedings by saying he would not tolerate political speeches or disobedience from defendants. He removed al-Tikriti, who is suffering from cancer, after he had begun complaining about his medical treatment. Abdel-Rahman then entered into an exchange with defense lawyers which resulted in one lawyer being removed and the remaining defense team walking out of the court. A heated discussion [BBC transcript excerpts] between Abdel-Rahman and Hussein followed, ending when the judge had Saddam removed. Two co-defendants followed when they objected to new counsel appointed to them after the initial defense walkout. The proceedings concluded after testimony about events in Dujail from an anonymous female witness. The trial is expected to resume Tuesday or Wednesday. Defense lawyers have already said they will boycott the next hearing [Reuters report] unless Abdel-Rahman apologizes for expelling al-Tikriti. BBC News has more [including recorded video].

[JURIST] Walgreens [corporate web site] is being sued by four Illinois pharmacists [JURIST report] who claim that they were illegally fired for refusing to sign a pledge promising to dispense the morning-after birth control pill. Walgreens asked the pharmacists to sign the pledge because of an Illinois state rule [press release] which requires pharmacies that sell contraceptives to fill prescriptions for emergency birth control without delay. The pharmacists, represented by the American Center for Law and Justice [official web site, ACLJ statement], argue that they are protected by the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act [text] which they say protects health care providers from discrimination if they refuse to participate in health care services which are contrary to their beliefs. AP has more.

[JURIST] Lebanese government officials have called "fruitful" initial consultations [JURIST report] with visiting UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Nicolas Michel [official profile] on the establishment of an international tribunal for suspects in the February 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri [JURIST news archive]. A UN spokesperson also described the meetings constructive and positive [UN News Centre report]. Lebanon Justice Minister Charles Rizk is reported to have suggested either an international tribunal set up outside of Lebanon, or a Lebanon-located court of international judges. Government officials and observers appear to agree that a completely-internal Lebanese proceeding would be too controversial, especial as Syrian defendants could be involved. The UN is authorized to lend assistance to the Lebanese government in setting up a tribunal under UN Security Council Resolution 1644 [official PDF text]. This is the first of several planned trips by Michel to Lebanon. Reuters has more.