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Court: U.S. Can Hold Citizens as Combatants

A federal appeals court rules the Bush administration can deny legal rights to combatants seized on the battlefield -- even if they are U.S. citizens. The ruling specifically affects Yaser Esam Hamdi, who was captured with Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. NPR's Larry Abramson reports.

Copyright 2003 NPR

Larry Abramson is NPR's National Security Correspondent. He covers the Pentagon, as well as issues relating to the thousands of vets returning home from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.