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05.09.2009 United States

Former US Attonery 'can be sued'

By BBC NEWS
Former US Attonery 'can be sued'
05.09.2009 LISTEN

A court in the US has ruled that a former US Attorney General John Ashcroft can be sued by an American citizen held as a witness suspected of having information in a terrorism case.  Abdullah al-Kidd accuses John Ashcroft, Attorney General from 2001 to 2005, of violating his constitutional rights in 2003, when he was held for 16 days. 

The court said detention of witnesses without charge after the 9/11 attacks is repugnant to the constitution.  The US Department of Justice said it was reviewing the court's order. 

A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeal also said the government's policy is a painful reminder of some of the most ignominious chapters of America's national history.  Mr. al-Kidd was detained in 2003 because the government thought he had information in a computer terrorism case against his fellow University of Idaho student Sami Omar al-Hussayen. 

Mr. Ashcroft asked the judge to dismiss the matter, saying he has absolute immunity in his position.

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