ACLU protests al-Masri ruling

NEW YORK, March 6 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union has stated its concern over a U.S. appeals court verdict in an "extraordinary rendition" case.

The ACLU said it regretted the decision of the Fourth District Appeals Court to uphold a lower court ruing to dismiss the case of Khaled El-Masri, whom the group described as "an innocent victim of the CIA's policy of 'extraordinary rendition.'"

"Although El-Masri's case has been discussed and investigated throughout the world, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (Friday) that it could not be either discussed or reviewed in an American court because of the government's invocation of the 'state secrets' privilege," the ACLU said in a statement.

"Regrettably, today's decision allows CIA officials to disregard the law with impunity by making it virtually impossible to challenge their actions in court," said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. "With today's ruling, the state secrets doctrine has become a shield that covers even the most blatant abuses of power."

The ACLU stated that it as looking into the possibility of lodging an appeal on the appeals court verdict with the United States Supreme Court.

"El-Masri was on vacation in Macedonia when he was kidnapped, abused and rendered to a CIA-run 'black site' in Afghanistan. After several months of confinement in squalid conditions, he was flown from Afghanistan and abandoned on a hill in Albania with no explanation, never having been charged with a crime." the ACLU statement said.