State Department still says cables WikiLeaks released last year are classified

The Obama administration is still insisting that cables WikiLeaks released last year are classified even though the cables were released by the State Department in compliance with a Freedom of Information Act request. The classified information concerned targeted killings, detention at Guantanamo, torture and rendition. -db From a commentary for the American Civil Liberties Union, [...]

WikiLeaks unveils CIA report on U.S. as an ‘exporter of terrorism’

The CIA has downplayed WikiLeaks’ latest release, a secret CIA analysis showing the extent of U.S. presence as an exporter of terrorism. -db Washington Post August 26, 2010 By Ellen Nakashima The United States has long been an exporter of terrorism, according to a secret CIA analysis released Wednesday by the Web site WikiLeaks. And [...]

Senate rejects proposal for commission of inquiry on torture

Senator Patrick Leahy was unable to obtain the bipartisan consensus he said was essential to conduct a senate investigation of Bush administration conduct on terrorism including detention, rendition and interrogation. -DB Secrecy News Federation of American Scientists Commentary January 26, 2010 By Steven Aftergood Last year the Senate Judiciary Committee considered a proposal by Senator [...]

Obama’s new policy on state secrets disappoints EFF attorney

An attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation argues that the Obama administration did not go far enough in reforming the use of the state secrets privilege. The changes will run a decision through executive layers but still allow the government to invoke the privilege to block a court case without judicial oversight. -DB Electronic Frontier Foundation [...]

Obama to announce new policy on state secrets

The Obama administration is expected to make it harder for the government to invoke a “state secrets” claim when asked about such activities as rendition, wiretaps and treatment of terrorist suspects. -DB The Washington Post September 23, 2009 By Carrie Johnson The Obama administration will announce a new policy Wednesday making it much more difficult [...]