President Obama has said he will not veto a bill that allows for the indefinite detention of terrorism suspects, despite initial objections from the Department of Justice.
The bill gives prosecution authority to the military, according to a New York Times report. Attorney General Eric Holder was mum on the topic as Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 this week, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
Attorney General Eric Holder at a United Nations counter-terrorism symposium.
In a statement, the President said his initial concerns over the bill were assuaged by several amendments to the language, according the to the New York Times report. FBI Director Robert Mueller spoke out against the bill Wednesday, saying it would leave uncertainty in jurisdiction when a suspected terrorist is arrested, according to the report.
Holder, who advocates for the civilian court system, kept quiet as the bill passed, the Wall Street Journal reported. Recent flaps over the Fast and Furious controversy and the fight with Republicans over the prosecution of alleged Sept. 11 plotter Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four others earlier this year may have kept the attorney general on the sidelines, among other things, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The bill includes a provision allowing the government to hold, without trial, suspected members of Al Qaeda or its allies, the New York Times reported. Another portion of the bill requires the attorney general to consult with military agencies before moving forward with charging terrorist suspects in civilian court, the Times reported.
