Fergie's Tech Blog

U.S. Still Contends Secrecy Bars ACLU Lawsuit

An AP newswire article by David N. Goodman, via SFGate.com, reports that:

The Bush administration asked a federal appeals court Monday to toss out a lawsuit challenging a warrantless surveillance program, saying the government can't defend itself without revealing national secrets.

The American Civil Liberties Union sued the National Security Agency in January on behalf of journalists, scholars and lawyers who say the surveillance has made it difficult for them to do their jobs because they believe many of their overseas contacts are likely targets.

"This suit must be dismissed because its very subject matter is a state secret, and litigation would inevitably result in disclosing state secrets," Justice Department lawyers wrote in a brief filed Monday.

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit ruled in August that the program violates the rights to free speech and privacy and the separation of powers.

posted by Fergie @ 12/05/2006 11:24:00 AM