NEW YORK, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union said it had filed five new briefs in its case against the U.S. National Security Agency.
The ACLU said in a statement Tuesday that it had filed five new friend-of-the-court briefs in support of its challenge to the National Security Agency's domestic security surveillance program spying program. A court has found in favor of the ACLU, but the U.S. government has appealed the decision to a higher court.
"The briefs were submitted on behalf leading constitutional scholars, civil rights organizations, legal experts, bar associations and a reporters' advocacy group," the ACLU said.
"All Americans have the right to speak on the phone or send and receive e-mails without the government eavesdropping on their conversations without a warrant," said Ann Beeson, Associate Legal Director of the ACLU. "The broad support for ending this illegal spying program shows just how indefensible the government's position is."
"Since 2001, the NSA has been secretly intercepting the phone and e-mail communications of Americans without first obtaining judicial approval," the ACLU said. "Saying that the Bush administration's illegal spying on Americans must end, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the NSA in January of this year. On Aug. 17, in the first and only ruling by a federal court to strike down the controversial program, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan ruled that the warrantless wiretapping program is illegal."
