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Judge rejects state secrets defense in wiretapping lawsuit
Source: Reuters
Judge rejects state secrets defense in wiretapping lawsuit
By Dan Levine
SAN FRANCISCO | Mon Jul 8, 2013 5:56pm EDT
(Reuters) - The U.S. government cannot quickly terminate a civil privacy lawsuit over warrantless wiretapping by arguing that such litigation would expose state secrets and harm national security, a U.S. judge has ruled.
A group of AT&T Inc customers filed the proposed class action against the National Security Agency and Bush administration officials in 2008, accusing them of improperly operating a warrantless mass surveillance of U.S. citizens.
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While U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in San Francisco did not end the lawsuit on Monday on state secrets grounds, he did narrow the plaintiffs' claims and raised several issues that may ultimately prevent the case from reaching trial following several years of litigation.
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"This is a huge victory and a very courageous decision," Cohn said. A U.S. Department of Justice spokesman said they are reviewing the decision and declined further comment.
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By Dan Levine
SAN FRANCISCO | Mon Jul 8, 2013 5:56pm EDT
(Reuters) - The U.S. government cannot quickly terminate a civil privacy lawsuit over warrantless wiretapping by arguing that such litigation would expose state secrets and harm national security, a U.S. judge has ruled.
A group of AT&T Inc customers filed the proposed class action against the National Security Agency and Bush administration officials in 2008, accusing them of improperly operating a warrantless mass surveillance of U.S. citizens.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
While U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in San Francisco did not end the lawsuit on Monday on state secrets grounds, he did narrow the plaintiffs' claims and raised several issues that may ultimately prevent the case from reaching trial following several years of litigation.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
"This is a huge victory and a very courageous decision," Cohn said. A U.S. Department of Justice spokesman said they are reviewing the decision and declined further comment.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/08/us-usa-wiretapping-ruling-idUSBRE96714E20130708
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