Bush sets up new terrorism courts
President George Bush has ordered the establishment of military courts to bring suspected terrorists to justice.
The presidential order establishes a special military commission that would replace trial by jury in civilian courts and have the right to try terrorists in a secret location, including overseas.
Similar courts were last used by President Roosevelt to try German saboteurs and spies during the Second World War. They were also established by President Lincoln during the Civil War and George Washington, who executed several spies working for Britain during the War of Independence.
In a statement issued after he signed the military order last night, Mr Bush said he had "determined that an extraordinary emergency exists for national defence purposes'' adding that "this emergency constitutes an urgent and compelling government interest".
A spokesman for Mr Bush said: "The president views this as a helpful option in bringing terrorists to justice." The military commission would have powers to protect the identity of witnesses and prosecution sources. It would most likely be used for only the most serious cases, including members of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network and other international terrorist groups. It would also have powers to hold trials abroad for security reasons.
President Bush signed the order shortly before leaving for his family ranch in Crawford, Texas. The White House counsel, Albert Gonzales, called it "a new tool to use against terrorism".
Earlier yesterday, the attorney general John Ashcroft announced that he had ordered law enforcement officers to question more than 5,000 young men who had entered the United States over the last two years.
He has drawn up a list of all males between the ages of 18 to 33 who entered the US legally on non-immigrant visas after 1 January 2000. The list is restricted to certain unspecified countries, mostly believed to be in the Middle and Far East. The attorney general said the move was necessary to "expand our knowledge of terrorist networks operating in the United States".
