Judge: Feds must answer ACLU demands

[babylonsister]

Judge: Feds must answer ACLU demands


WASHINGTON (AP) — The government must answer a watchdog group's demands to release records about the nation's classified terrorist spying program, the chief judge of a secretive national security court has ruled.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which announced the order Friday, said it was the first time the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court had responded to a request filed by the public.

In her 2-page order, dated Aug. 16, Presiding Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly called the ACLU's demand "an unprecedented request that warrants further briefing."

The ACLU last week asked the court to explain publicly the need to revamp laws that expand the government's authority to spy on foreigners. The request was prompted by Congress' approval earlier this month of legislation updating the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to allow the government to eavesdrop on terror suspects who are believed to be foreigners without first getting a court warrant.

more...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-08-17-fisa_N.htm?csp=34

[midnight]

1. Congress approves updating eavesdropping on suspects

who are "believed to be foreigners"without first getting a court warrant. I'm not sure about the 1978 fisa laws implementation, but wouldn't this last act by congress undo this 1978 act. I hope the judges response to requesting further briefing is genuine, and not a stalling tactic. Because that phrase "believed to be foreigners" seems so iffy. Let's be sure their is more accuracy, the kind the fisa courts were suppose to provide.