Administration Wants Padilla Ruling Set Aside

The federal government urged a federal appeals court in Richmond to set aside its ruling that allowed the United States to hold an American citizen as an enemy combatant without being charged.

The filing was an attempt by the administration to avoid a Supreme Court showdown over its controversial policy of detaining terror suspects indefinitely and without charges.

Justice Department lawyers said that since Jose Padilla -- who has been held by the U.S. military for more than three years -- had been indicted by a civilian court in Florida, the case regarding his military custody was moot.