Seattle U honors Guantánamo case lawyer

The Navy lawyer who led a successful U.S. Supreme Court challenge of the Bush administration's military tribunals for Guantánamo detainees has received a Distinguished Alumnus award from Seattle University Law School.

Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift accepted the award at a dinner Thursday night and joined a panel that spoke to law students Friday. He told them he was frustrated that following his legal victory, Congress passed the Military Commissions Act.

Signed by President Bush on Oct. 17, it strips U.S. courts of jurisdiction to hear the detainees' challenges to their indefinite detentions.

"We're right back where we started, despite the huge victory" in the case of Salim Hamdan, Swift told the students.

Hamdan was captured while fleeing the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan and is being held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

Hamdan has acknowledged that Osama bin Laden paid him $200 a month as his driver, but said he never joined al-Qaida or engaged in military fighting.

Swift, appointed to represent him, took the case to the Supreme Court, which struck down Bush's plans for the tribunals.