American Civil Liberties Union : ACLU Says Kessler FOIA Decision Repudiation of Government Secrecy

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ACLU Says Kessler FOIA Decision Repudiation of Government Secrecy (8/2/2002)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON - The following is a quick statement by Lucas Guttentag, Director of the ACLU's Immigrants Rights Project, in response to the ruling today ordering disclosure of information about the persons detained after September 11. The ruling can be found on-line at: http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/terrorism/cnssvdoj080202ord.pdf

"The court's decision today is a significant repudiation of the Attorney General's continued attempts to shroud the government's actions in secrecy.

"Judge Kessler carefully considered and rejected the government's justifications for keeping the names of the detainees secret. This decision confirms that arresting and jailing people in secret is contrary to fundamental American values.

"As the ruling emphasizes, the government has not suggested that any of the detainees have anything to do with Sept. 11 or terrorism."

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