FISA court refuses to release wiretapping docs.

In August, the ACLU asked the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to release “documents regarding the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program. “In a rare public opinion” today, the Court ruled that “the public has no right to view the documents because they deal with the clandestine workings of national security agencies.” The AP reports:

Writing for the court, U.S. District Judge John D. Bates refused. Releasing the documents would reveal closely guarded secrets that enemies could used to evade detection or disrupt intelligence activities, he said. […]

Bates acknowledged that the public would benefit from seeing the documents. The decision-making process would be understood, he said, and public oversight could help safeguard against government abuse. But the dangers of releasing such sensitive materials far outweigh that public benefit, Bates said.