Judge: CIA must release detainee documents
ACLU wants records on treatment of those held in terrorism war
From Terry Frieden
CNN
(CNN) -- A federal judge Wednesday rejected a CIA request to stay an order requiring the release of its documents on detainees and prisoners held in the fight against suspected terrorists.
U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York again supported the American Civil Liberties Union demand that the CIA produce its records concerning the "treatment of detainees in United States custody," the "death of detainees in United States custody," and the "rendition of detainees and other individuals" to countries known to employ torture.
Hellerstein, of the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, ruled in September that the Freedom of Information Act required the CIA to produce the records.
But the agency sought a stay, claiming documents in its "operational" files are exempted from search and identification.
"The CIA shall search and review in response to plaintiffs' FOIA requests," Hellerstein said.
He said the law does not provide "an excuse whereby the CIA may avoid" production of the documents.
The FBI has already turned documents over to the ACLU following a similar suit by the civil rights organization.
The ACLU and its allies have alleged that those documents show the government approved and was aware of abuse of detainees.