We are ..... doomed by the fifth column.
Judge: Bush Wiretap of Islam Group Illegal CBS NewsFeds Illegally Wiretapped Phone Calls Between Islamic Charity and 2 Lawyers During Terror Probe, Judge Rules
(AP) A federal judge ruled Wednesday that government investigators illegally wiretapped the phone conversations of an Islamic charity and two American lawyers without a search warrant.
U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker said the plaintiffs have provided enough evidence to show "they were subjected to warrantless electronic surveillance."
At issue was a 2006 lawsuit challenging the so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program of President George W. Bush's administration.
The lawsuit was filed by the Ashland, Oregon, branch of the Saudi-based Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation and two American lawyers Wendell Belew and Asim Ghafoor.
Belew and Ghafoor claimed their 2004 phone conversation with a foundation official, Soliman al-Buthi, was wiretapped soon after the Treasury Department had declared the charity branch a supporter of terrorism.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has said the lawsuit threatens to expose ongoing intelligence work and must be thrown out.
In making the argument, the administration of President Barack Obama agreed with the Bush administration's position on the case but insists it came to the decision differently.
Holder's effort to stop the lawsuit marks the first time the administration has tried to invoke the state secrets privilege.
Under the strategy, the government can have a lawsuit dismissed if hearing the case would jeopardize national security.
The Bush administration invoked the privilege numerous times in lawsuits over various programs that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
