In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks , the Bush administration sought " a tough-minded alternative to the civilian court system " for dealing with terrorists . President Bush asserted that the U.S. Constitution and a congressional resolution passed after the attack empowered him to promulgate the order as president . The order provided the authority for the Secretary of Defense to detain members of Al Qaeda at Guantanamo Bay
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Detention, Treatment, and Trial of Certain Non-Citizens in the War Against Terrorism