Federal judge orders end to wiretap program

August 17, 2006 in ACLU, Al Qaeda, Courts, Democrats & The Left, Global War On Terror, Terrorism

From the Washington Times

DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government’s warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it.

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency’s program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy as well as the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.

Essentially this case involved the NSA listening in on Phone Calls when one party in the conversation is outside the country, namely in an area with known terrorist operations like Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of journalists, scholars and lawyers who say the program has made it difficult for them to do their jobs.

I would bet that the ruling will be overturned on appeal…

Others Blogging:

Wizbang, Wide Awakes Radio, Stop the ACLU

digg story