ACLU in Appeals Court Thursday Arguing Against CIA's Secrecy Claim on Targeted Killing Documents

The American Civil Liberties Union will be in federal appeals court Thursday to argue that the CIA cannot deny the existence of the government's targeted killing program and refuse to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests about the program while officials continue to make public statements about it.

The ACLU's FOIA request, filed in January 2010, seeks to learn when, where and against whom drone strikes can be authorized, and how the U.S. ensures compliance with international laws relating to extrajudicial killings.

"The notion that the CIA's targeted killing program is a secret is nothing short of absurd," said ACLU Deputy Legal Director Jameel Jaffer, who will argue the case before a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Appeals Court. "For more than two years, senior officials have been making claims about the program both on the record and off. They've claimed that the program is effective, lawful and closely supervised. If they can make these claims, there is no reason why they should not be required to respond to requests under the Freedom of Information Act."

WHAT:
Oral argument in ACLU v. CIA before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The ACLU has appealed the district court's summary judgment for the CIA.

WHO:
Jameel Jaffer, ACLU deputy legal director, will argue before Judges David S. Tatel, Merrick B. Garland and Thomas B. Griffith.

WHEN:
Thursday, September 20, 9:30 a.m.

WHERE:
U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit
333 Constitution Avenue, 4th Floor
Washington, DC

More information is available at:
www.aclu.org/national-security/predator-drone-foia

Information on the ACLU's other targeted killing cases is available at:
www.aclu.org/national-security/targeted-killings