Journalists and activists who fear they could be swept up by a law allowing for the indefinite detention of people who have "substantially supported" al Qaida, the Taliban or "associated forces" in armed conflict with the United States tried to convince a federal appeals court yesterday that they have standing to challenge the law.
Above, attorneys Bruce Afran, left, and Carl Mayer appear at a rally against detention provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act after oral argument at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit yesterday. Below, opponents of the law rally in front of the Federal Courthouse in Foley Square. NYLJ/Rick Kopstein
In closely watched arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, attorneys Carl Mayer and Bruce Afran said that journalist Christopher Hedges and others have a reasonable fear that they could be detained under the 2011 law merely by reporting on al Qaida and presenting the terror group’s opinions and positions.
