Civil libertarians and conservative Republicans were at odds Tuesday over comments by former U.S. Atty. Gen. Janet Reno.

During a visit to Kansas University, Reno said federal anti-terrorism laws needed to be revised because they infringed too much on personal liberties.

Members of the American Civil Liberties Union applauded the remarks.

Reno said she was especially concerned some citizens were being detained in military jails without access to attorneys.

“I do think people should have access to their attorneys when they are detained. I think there is great reason to be concerned about our rights,” said Mary Davidson, president of the Douglas County chapter of the ACLU.

Lydia Krebs, a first-year KU law student from Oskaloosa, said she agreed that the erosion of civil rights should be a major issue.

“I think it should be a concern for everyone,’ she said. “I think it’s damaging our civil rights. And I have trouble when people defend it simply to defend the administration.”

But conservatives disagreed, saying Reno didn’t know what was going on in the real world.

“I think she’s being disingenuous to the real-world situation.” said Jim Mullins, a former Douglas County GOP chairman. “If we don’t have laws and government to protect us, we could have some real problems.”

Mullins said he fully supported the Patriot Act and had seen nothing harmful about it.

Kris Kobach of Overland Park, a Republican candidate for the 3rd District congressional seat, was former counsel to current U.S. Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft. He said he was among the Justice Department lawyers who drafted the Patriot Act.

“The Patriot Act has been upheld in every court of law that has reviewed any constitutional challenge to it,” Kobach said. “Claims that civil rights are violated simply are not right.”

Kobach said the act should go even further to assist on the war against terrorism.

“When we drafted the Patriot Act at the Justice Department after the Sept. 11 attacks, we were taking reasonable steps,” Kobach said. “And in my opinion, we need to take other steps now to close gaps we’ve discovered in the law for the war against terrorism.”