the San Antonio Express-News - St. Mary's shows off new home of Center for Terrorism Law

St. Mary's shows off new home of Center for Terrorism Law
By Melissa Ludwig, as printed in the San Antonio Express-News

The Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary's law school unveiled its new home Tuesday night, about 1,700 square feet of office and classroom space in the Ernest A. Raba faculty building.

Formerly located in the law library, the center's new home includes a conference and multimedia room and cost about $700,000, paid for with a $1 million anonymous donation to the center in December 2004.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, of Austin, spoke at the dedication ceremony, saying the center had an important role to play in the war on terror by "cultivating legal minds to make America a safer place to live."

McCaul, a 1987 graduate of St. Mary's law school, said the threat of terrorism in the world has never been greater, calling Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the "Hitler of our day" and saying that Islamic militants are bent on the destruction of Israel and the West.

McCaul said he supported terror-fighting tools such as the Patriot Act, and believes President Bush has "inherent authority" for a domestic wiretapping program that was recently ruled illegal by a federal judge.

"We can't afford to have another Sept. 11 in this country," McCaul said.

His remarks drew murmurs of support from the crowd of about 70 donors, faculty, trustees and members of the military and law enforcement.

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http://www.house.gov/list/press/tx10_mccaul/morenews/8_23_06_St_Mary_TLC_SAEN.html