Declan McCullagh on Hawash case: Guilty until proven innocent

“It’s remarkable–none of us has ever seen anything like this,” says Dave Fidanque, director of the Oregon chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. “This is unprecedented. We have no idea what kind of evidence they might have…Our Constitution was designed to prevent secret court procedures. Our Constitution was intended to guarantee every individual the right to due process. Since Sept. 11, Attorney General Ashcroft and the Justice Department have taken the position that they’re entitled only to the rights that John Ashcroft thinks they’re entitled to.”