Published: September 7, 2006
PORTLAND, Oregon
A federal judge Thursday rejected a Bush administration plea to throw out a lawsuit over the government's warrantless wiretapping program, saying he is not convinced going ahead with the case would harm national security.
U.S. District Judge Garr King said he recognizes that "disclosing information regarding the al-Qaida threat" or revealing details of the government's eavesdropping program "may harm national security."
But he also said "I am not yet convinced" such information would need to be revealed by proceeding with the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which had a chapter in Ashland that went out of business after the U.S. government labeled it a terrorist organization.
The foundation charged that two of its lawyers and at least one official were under electronic surveillance in March and April 2004. The foundation asked King to rule the surveillance a violation of a federal law that requires a special court to approve intelligence-related wiretapping.
In June, the U.S. Justice Department asked that the case be thrown out, arguing that proceeding with it would reveal state secrets and jeopardize national security.