AP has obtained a letter written by an FBI counterterrorism expert working at Guantanamo Bay that complains of abusive military interrogations of prisoners as early as 2002. The letter, written by Thomas Harrington to Maj. Gen. Donald J. Ryder, the Army's chief law enforcement officer, described "highly aggressive interrogation techniques being used against detainees in [...]

English comedian Rowan Atkinson, famed for his starring role in Blackadder and other UK comedy series, lashed out Monday evening against a proposed UK law to ban the incitement of religious hatred. Speaking at a meeting in Westminster Hall convened by writers, MPs and groups opposed to the legislation, Atkinson warned that such a law [...]

Dutch authorities announced Monday that they have arrested a man on the FBI's "Most Wanted" list (see this listing from 2000) for supplying lethal chemicals to Saddam Hussein's Iraq in the 1980s. Frans van Anraat, now 62, is said to have supplied Iraq with the main ingredient of mustard gas used in the Iran-Iraq war. [...]

A trial began Monday in Rabat of five Moroccans formerly held by the US at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, charged with belonging to or assisting a criminal group that was preparing to commit terrorist acts. The five, turned over to Moroccan authorities in August, are all alleged to be Al Qaeda members and are said to [...]

The Catholic Diocese of Spokane, Washington, confirmed Monday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming a lack of funds to cover claims arising from multiple lawsuits against it alleging child sexual abuse by multiple clergy. The diocese already faces at least 19 suits by 58 plaintiffs for some $77 million, and diocesan leaders [...]

City of San Diego v. Roe, Supreme Court of the United States, Per Curiam, December 6, 2004 . Excerpt: A government employee does not relinquish all First Amendment rights otherwise enjoyed by citizens just by reason of his or her employment. See, e.g., Keyishian v. Board of Regents of Univ. of State of N. Y., [...]

The US Supreme Court Monday heard arguments in the case Miller-El v. Dretke (03-9659), reconsidering whether a black defendant was unfairly convicted and sentenced by a jury that included only 1 black juror). The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 last year (Justice Thomas dissenting) that there was a strong suspicion of discrimination in the jury selection, [...]

Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell has certified the votes of the 2004 Presidential election. The official totals, including all absentee and provisional ballots are: Bush – 2,858,727Kerry – 2,739,952 This is a Bush victory of 118,775 votes, not close enough to trigger an automatic recount under Ohio law. The Democratic, Green and Libertarian parties [...]

President Bush has named Gerald Reynolds and Ashley Taylor to the US Commission on Civil Rights. Reynolds, formerly asssitant secretary of the office of civil rights in the Department of Education, is expected to replace Mary Frances Berry as chairman of the commission. Taylor, an attorney from Richmond Virginia, will replace Cruz Reynoso, although his [...]

In Monday's environmental law news, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) seeks comments on a proposed rule that would establish the Pine Island-Estero Bay Manatee Refuge in Lee County, Florida. The manatee is a protected species under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The area had been protected by the [...]