--- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECIV FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 2002(202) 616-2777 WWW.USDOJ.GOVTDD (202) 514-1888 STATEMENT OF ROBERT MCCALLUM, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE CIVIL DIVISION, REGARDING JUDGE KESSLER'S DECISION IN CENTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY STUDIES V. USDOJ "The Department of Justice believes today's ruling impedes one of the most important federal law enforcement investigations in history, harms our efforts to bring to justice those responsible for the heinous attacks of September 11, and increases the risk of future terrorist threats to our nation. While the Department is pleased that the Court recognized that certain categories of information relating to the 9/11 investigation are protected from disclosure, the Justice Department's Criminal Division and the FBI firmly believe that the information sought by the plaintiffs, if released, could jeopardize the investigation and provide valuable information to terrorists seeking to cause even greater harm to the safety of the American people. In reviewing today's ruling, the Department of Justice will be evaluating all options to protect the American public from future terrorist threats while preserving our constitutional liberties." --- Date: Fri, 02 Aug 2002 18:19:34 -0400 To: Declan McCullagh <declanat_private> From: Chris Hoofnagle <hoofnagleat_private> Subject: Ct. Orders Release of Detainees' Names FYI: Order online at: http://www.epic.org/open_gov/foia/cnss_v_doj.html Judge Orders Detainee Names Release Fri Aug 2, 4:04 PM ET By CHRISTOPHER NEWTON, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal judge ruled Friday that the United States must reveal the names of people detained in the investigation of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The order by U.S. District Judge Barbara Kessler allows only two exceptions. On a case-by-case basis, the judge will consider allowing the government to keep a detainee's name secret if the detainee is a material witness to a terror investigation. The judge also will allow the government to withhold the name if the detainee requests it. Kessler ruled that the government's rationale for keeping the names secret was insufficient. The government's argument that terrorists in other nations might map the progress of U.S. investigators by determining who had been captured is illogical. [...] ------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- Declan McCullagh's politics and technology mailing list You may redistribute this message freely if you include this notice. To subscribe to Politech: http://www.politechbot.com/info/subscribe.html This message is archived at http://www.politechbot.com/ Declan McCullagh's photographs are at http://www.mccullagh.org/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like Politech? Make a donation here: http://www.politechbot.com/donate/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------
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