The American Bar Association, America's largest legal group, on Monday overwhelmingly opposed a Bush administration anti-terrorism measure that bars U.S. citizens jailed as enemy combatants from consulting defense lawyers.

"The American Bar Association's policy-making body voted 368-76 to approve a proposal backing the right of U.S. citizens held as enemy combatants to have access to lawyers and judicial review of their status. It also urged the U.S. Congress to establish clear standards and procedures for the designation of enemy combatants and their treatment."

"Neal Sonnett, a Miami defense lawyer who heads the association's task force on the treatment of enemy combatants, said that while every lawyer in the room wanted to work with the administration to fight terror, "we just cannot lose our Constitution in the process. It is an issue of defending liberty and pursuing justice."

More information about the resolution is available in this AP article. You can read the text of the resolution and Task Force Report here.