Judge: American accused of fighting for IS must get lawyer

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. military must provide legal counsel to an American citizen who was picked up months ago on the Syrian battlefield and accused of fighting with Islamic State militants.

The unidentified American, who has not been charged, surrendered to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria around Sept. 12 and is currently being held in Iraq as an unlawful enemy combatant.

The American Civil Liberties Union challenged his detention and asked to provide him access to legal counsel.

In her ruling on Saturday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan denied the Defense Department’s motion to dismiss the matter and ordered the military to let the ACLU immediate access to the detainee so that it can determine whether he wants the ACLU to represent him.

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