A federal judge ruled yesterday that 17 Chinese Muslims, known as Uighurs, that are detained at Guantanamo Bay clearly aren’t terrorists and should be set free. But as the Wall Street Journal’s Jess Bravin reports, the Justice Dept. immediately sprang to its feet and blasted the decision as “unprecedented." Justice argued that it “presents serious national security and separation-of-powers concerns.”

But the truth is that the U.S. would have released the 17 Uighers if they had found a country that would have taken them. Also, the decision looks to be a logical follow-up to the June Supreme Court ruling that gave Gitmo detainees habeas corpus rights.

Luckily for the Uighers they will no longer be made an example in the administration’s thirst for executive power. The freed detainees will stay in a Chinese Muslim community in Washington.-MB

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