Supreme Court To Hear Challenge To Portions Of The PATRIOT Act Criminalizing "Material Support" For Terrorism

The UPI reports that "the U.S. Supreme Court this week hears arguments on a provision of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 -- or as it is more familiarly known, the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act was signed into law Oct. 26, 2001, in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The act, read in conjunction with other federal anti-terrorism laws, presents what some consider a chilling effect on constitutional rights, including the First Amendment guarantees of the freedoms of speech and association. The Supreme Court will decide whether the parts of the law that make it a crime to give 'material support or resources' to government-designated foreign terrorist organizations are unconstitutional. The case of Holder vs. Humanitarian Law Project involves civil rights groups and individuals halted in helping foreign terrorist organizations achieve their non-violent goals because they say the anti-terrorism laws criminalize even the most innocuous activities carried out with or on behalf of foreign terrorist groups." Tweet