Fergie's Tech Blog

ACLU Sues for Patriot Act Documents from CIA and Pentagon

Ryan Singel writes on Threat Level:

The ACLU filed a government sunshine suit Thursday against the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency, seeking to force the agencies to disclose documents about their use of a powerful and secretive Patriot Act power known as a National Security Letter.

The ACLU requested information via the Freedom of Information Act on whether and how these agencies are using the letters, which let the government get communication and financial records without getting a judge's approval, following a New York Times story that uncovered the practice. Additionally, the letters prohibit the recipients from ever disclosing they got one and it's not clear that either of these agencies, which are largely forbidden by law from operating inside the United States, can actually use the tool legally.

posted by Fergie @ 6/28/2007 12:47:00 PM