Legal News

Judge orders FBI to perform CAIRful search for surveillance files

By Richard Binder

A federal district court judge yesterday gave the FBI 30 days to make available for review 48 pages of surveillance memos pertaining to Southern California Muslim organizations that had previously been released only in heavily redacted form. 

ACLU staff attorney Jennie Pasquarella said the judge also demanded 47 pages of previously withheld memos and FBI files on the Council of American Islamic Relations and Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the group's Southern Californian Chapter.

The decision comes amid a nearly three-year battle by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Muslim groups to obtain records they say would prove the FBI is unlawfully targeting Muslims in Southern California.

Relations between the Muslim community and the federal agency have deteriorated over the years, most notably in light of allegations that the FBI sent an informant to infiltrate an Orange County mosque. 

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).