Former Attorney General John Ashcroft talked about the legal history concerning the right of habeus corpus. A federal appeals court had recently ruled that detainees held at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan do not have the right to appear in federal court. This ruling presented a possible challenge to a 2008 Supreme Court ruling that did extend the right of habeas corpus to Guantanamo Bay detainees. After his prepared remarks, Mr. Ashcroft responded to questions from the audience and reporters.