Final answer:
The Supreme Court in Boumediene v. Bush ruled that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantánamo Bay have the right to challenge their detention in US courts, affirming habeas corpus rights and overriding the Military Commissions Act of 2006.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the landmark case Boumediene v. Bush, the Supreme Court ruled that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantánamo Bay have the constitutional right to challenge their detention in United States courts. This decision was pivotal because it effectively granted habeas corpus rights to detainees, overriding the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which sought to eliminate federal courts' jurisdiction over habeas corpus applications from those designated as enemy combatants.
The Supreme Court's judgment in Boumediene v. Bush is significant in the broader context of detainment of terrorism suspects. Prior rulings such as Rasul v. Bush and Hamdan v. Rumsfeld established that the United States exercises enough control over Guantánamo Bay to allow federal courts to have jurisdiction and that military commissions used to try detainees lacked legal sufficiency due to not adhering to the Geneva Conventions and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Boumediene decision reinforced the principle that protections under the law extend to all individuals, not just American citizens, and have significant effects on national security and individual liberties.
The complexities of dealing with foreign terrorists captured in unconventional conflicts challenge traditional legal principles and highlight the tension between national security and human rights. The ruling in Boumediene v. Bush is seen as a reaffirmation of commitment to legal norms and due process, even amidst the emergent challenges of the war on terror.