Posted on 11/19/2015 12:06:00 PM PST by don-o
The defense for an accused leader of the Benghazi attack argued Thursday that President Barack Obama committed a crime when he authorized a U.S. military raid that captured the militant in Libya last year.
Lawyers for Ahmed Abu Khatallah contend that the operation violated his rights in various ways, but also ran afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act, an 1878 law that generally prohibits the use of U.S. military forces in law enforcement operations.
"The violation occurred because the president authorized the military to act," defense attorney Mary Petras. "He can't use the military that way."
Petras said internal government emails provided to the defense say the operation was not covered by the Authorization for Use of Military Force passed by Congress after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
"The government has never even suggested what authority the military had to go into Libya and kidnap someone," Petras told U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper during an hour-long hearing in Washington.
Prosecutor John Crabb said the operation was lawful.
"The executive branch did follow the law. No laws were broken. No treaties were violated," Crabb told the judge.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Who's gonna stop him?..........................
Perhaps now we will see if Congress will act to use their powers or continue being a co-conspirator for Presidential power.
If they both broke the law why not put them both in jail?
Why is there a trial for this guy?
To be sure, he broke a lot of laws regarding the entirety of Benghazi. Aiding and abetting the enemy for starters.
Because Obama won?
guilty....
now put the piece of garbage to death
he is not a us citizen and has no constitutional rights
he is a military combatant/terrorist and probably should have been tried convicted and executed at gitmo or in the field of combat...
Obama taught Constitutional law don’t you know...
It would have been legal had they just shot him.
Why did Obama even have him captured?
Ahmed Abu Khatallah’s legal argument is laughable.
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