Spy court orders gov't to respond to ACLU

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- The secret court that oversees U.S. intelligence wire-tapping has ordered the government to respond to a request for documents from the ACLU.

"This is an unprecedented request that warrants further briefing," wrote the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Thursday in an order requiring the government to file a response by the end of the month.

The order says the American Civil Liberties Union will then have two weeks to respond.

The ACLU filed a motion last week to get copies of orders issued by the court and other legal papers relating to the Bush administration's controversial Terrorist Surveillance Program, under which it claims the authority to intercept without a warrant overseas phone calls made by Americans to people suspected of terror links.

In their brief last week, the ACLU said that the materials they wanted released had been referred to repeatedly by lawmakers in debating an administration request for expanded domestic surveillance powers, which Congress passed temporarily in the closing hours before the August recess.

Congress will take up the issue again when lawmakers return after Labor Day, and the ACLU's motion says publication of the documents is essential to allow "the public to participate meaningfully in this debate, evaluate the decisions of their elected leaders, and determine for themselves whether the proposed permanent expansion of the executive's surveillance powers is appropriate."

"We're extremely encouraged by today's development because it means that, at long last, the government will be required to defend its contention that the orders should not be released," said Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, in a statement Friday.

Charles Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department, told United Press International that government lawyers were reviewing the order.

--

Shaun Waterman, UPI Homeland and National Security Editor