DO OUR COURTS HAVE THE BALLS TO DO LIKEWISE?

Top US court deals Bush blow on Guantanamo prison.

WASHINGTON : The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled Guantanamo prisoners have the right to challenge their detention at the US military base in civilian courts, dealing a stiff rebuke to the Bush administration.

"The laws and constitution are designed to survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times," the court said in its historic ruling, for the third time in four years striking down the government's case for trying "war on terror" suspects in military tribunals.

"Liberty and security can be reconciled; and in our system they are reconciled within the framework of the law," the court added, ruling five to four that prisoners in the remote US jail in southeastern Cuba "have the constitutional privilege of habeas corpus."

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the administration was "reviewing the opinion" but declined immediate comment.

Thursday's ruling should now give the prisoners and their legal teams the right to demand to know on what basis they are being held.

It was not immediately clear how Thursday's ruling would affect those 270 detainees still held in the jail. Amnesty International said the decision was an "essential step forward towards the restoration of the rule of law."

Now I challenge all our esteem Judges to do the right thing with our ISA. Are you guys just another high class pen pushing civil servants or leaders of time, dare to be different and bring our system in line with international standards.