This ruling is significant for a number of reasons, not the least of which that the judge used very strong language to express his displeasure with the government:

Ruling from the bench, Judge Richard Leon of U.S. District Court in Washington said that the information gathered on the men had been sufficient to hold them for intelligence purposes, but was not strong enough in court.

“To rest on so thin a reed would be inconsistent with this court’s obligation,” he said. He directed that the five men be released “forthwith” and urged the government not to appeal.

Also note that Judge Leon is a major wingnut, so this is not some wild eyed liberal “legislating from the bench.”