U.S. Asks Court to Dismiss Lawsuit on Secret Flights

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Source: Reuters

The U.S. government asked a federal court late on Friday to dismiss a lawsuit against a unit of Boeing Co that charges the firm helped fly suspects abroad to secret prisons.

"Allowing plaintiffs' claims to proceed would risk the disclosure of highly classified information concerning the alleged 'intelligence activities, sources, and methods' of the CIA," said the filing, signed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bucholtz.

The American Civil Liberties Union first filed a complaint in May accusing Jeppesen Dataplan Inc of providing flight and logistical support to at least 15 aircraft on 70 "extraordinary-rendition" flights.


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"The whole world knows about the U.S. 'extraordinary rendition' program and the government's invocation of 'state secrets' in this case is just another cynical attempt by the administration to cover up an illegal and immoral program," said ACLU lawyer Steven Watt.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-usa-cia-kidnapping.html

[PDJane]

1. Cynical,

manipulative, and egregious.

Time to get these folks before the Hague.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

2. secrets?

Airplane geeks cracked this case wide open with google,

but it is interesting to know that a plane can't take off or land anywhere in the world without a public paper trail.

[williesgirl]

3. k&r - should be interesting to see what happens, maybe we'll get a fair judge!