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UNITED
STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
SOUTHERN DIVISION
AMERICAN
CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION;
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION;
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF MICHIGAN;
COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS;
COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS MICHIGAN;
GREENPEACE, INC.;
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYERS;
JAMES BAMFORD;
LARRY DIAMOND;
CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS;
TARA MCKELVEY;
and BARNETT R. RUBIN,
Plaintiffs,
v.
NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY / CENTRAL SECURITY SERVICE;
and LIEUTENANT GENERAL KEITH B. ALEXANDER,
in his official capacity as Director of the
National Security Agency
and Chief of the Central Security Service,
Defendants.
ANN BEESON
Attorney
of Record
JAMEEL JAFFER
MELISSA GOODMAN (admission pending)
CATHERINE CRUMP (admission pending)
National Legal
Department
American Civil
Liberties Union Foundation
125 Broad Street, 18th
Floor
New York, NY 10004-2400
(212) 549-2500
MICHAEL J. STEINBERG
KARY L. MOSS
American Civil
Liberties Union Fund of Michigan
60 West Hancock Street
Detroit, MI 48201-1343
(313) 578-6814
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COMPLAINT FOR
DECLARATORY
AND
INJUNCTIVE
RELIEF
Case No.
Hon.
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PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
1. This lawsuit
challenges the constitutionality of a secret government program to intercept vast quantities of
the international telephone and Internet communications of innocent Americans
without court approval (hereinafter “the Program”). The National Security Agency /
Central Security Service (“NSA”) launched the Program in 2001 and the President of
the United States ratified it in 2002.
2.
Plaintiffs are a group of prominent
journalists, scholars,
attorneys, and national
nonprofit organizations who frequently communicate by telephone and
email with people outside the
United States, including in the Middle East and Asia. Because of the nature of their calls and emails, and
the identities and locations of those with whom they communicate, plaintiffs have a
well-founded belief that their communications are being intercepted under the Program. The
Program is disrupting the ability of the plaintiffs to talk with sources, locate
witnesses, conduct scholarship, and engage in advocacy.
3.
By seriously compromising the free speech
and privacy rights of the
plaintiffs and others, the Program
violates the First and Fourth Amendments of the United States Constitution. It also
violates constitutional separation of powers principles, because it was authorized by President
George W. Bush in excess of his Executive authority and contrary to limits imposed
by Congress. In response to widespread domestic surveillance abuses committed by
the Executive Branch and exposed in the 1960s and 1970s, Congress enacted
legislation that provides “the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance . . . and
the interception of domestic wire, oral, and electronic communications may be
conducted.” 18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(f) (emphasis
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added). Plaintiffs respectfully
seek a declaration that the Program is unlawful, and a permanent injunction against its use.
JURISDICTION
AND VENUE
4.
This case arises under the United States
Constitution and the laws
of the United States and
presents a federal question within this Court’s jurisdiction under Article III of the United States
Constitution and 28 U.S.C. § 1331. The Court also has jurisdiction under the Administrative
Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. § 702. The Court has authority to grant declaratory relief
pursuant to the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201 et seq. The Court has authority to
award costs and attorneys’ fees under 28 U.S.C. § 2412. Venue is proper in this
district under 28 U.S.C. § 1391(e).
PARTIES
5.
The American Civil Liberties Union
(“ACLU”) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, non-partisan organization that engages in
public education and lobbying about the constitutional principles of liberty and
equality. The ACLU has more than 500,000 members and has members in every state,
including Michigan. The ACLU sues on its own behalf and on behalf of its staff and
members.
6.
The American Civil Liberties Union
Foundation (“ACLUF”) is a
501(c)(3) organization that educates the
public about civil liberties issues and employs lawyers who provide legal representation
free of charge in cases involving civil liberties. The ACLUF sues on its own behalf and on
behalf of its staff.
7. The American Civil
Liberties
Union of Michigan (“ACLU of
Michigan”) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit, non-partisan organization that
engages in public education
and lobbying about civil rights and civil liberties in the state of
Michigan. The
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ACLU of Michigan has
approximately 15,000 members. The ACLU of Michigan sues on its own behalf of on behalf of its
members.
8.
The National Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers (“NACDL”) is a
501(c)(6) non-profit organization based
in Washington, D.C. whose direct membership is comprised of more than 13,000 criminal
defense lawyers. The NACDL has members in every state, including Michigan. The
NACDL sues on its own behalf and on behalf of its members.
9.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations
(“CAIR”) is a 501(c)(4)
non-profit organization based in
Washington, D.C. and is the largest Islamic civil liberties organization in the United
States. CAIR has chapters and members nationwide and members in over 25 countries. CAIR
sues on its own behalf and on behalf of its staff and members.
10.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations
Michigan (“CAIRMichigan”) is a
501(c)(3) organization and
represents the interest of the American Muslim community living in the state of
Michigan. CAIR-Michigan sues on its own behalf and on behalf of its members.
11.
Greenpeace, Inc. (“Greenpeace”) is a
non-profit advocacy
organization based in
Washington, D.C. dedicated to combating the most serious threats to the
planet’s biodiversity and
environment. Greenpeace has approximately 250,000 members nationwide, including members in
Michigan. Internationally, Greenpeace has a presence in 39 other countries and more than 2.5
million members. Greenpeace sues on its own behalf, and on behalf of its staff and
members.
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12. James Bamford
is an
award-winning author and journalist. He is one of the world’s leading experts on U.S.
intelligence and the National Security Agency and he has published numerous books and articles
on those topics. Mr. Bamford lives in Washington, D.C.
13.
Larry Diamond is a Senior Fellow at the
Hoover Institution at
Stanford University. He is a
leading expert on governance and development in Iraq, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Professor Diamond
lives in Stanford, California.
14.
Christopher Hitchens is a prominent
reporter and bestselling author
who has written numerous
articles and books on topics including U.S policy in the Middle East and Islamic fundamentalism. Mr.
Hitchens lives in Washington, D.C.
15.
Tara McKelvey is a senior editor at The
American Prospect, and has
written numerous articles and books on
topics including U.S. policy in the Middle East. Ms. McKelvey lives in Washington, D.C.
16.
Barnett R. Rubin is Director of Studies
and Senior Fellow at the New
York University Center on International
Cooperation. Professor Rubin is an internationally renowned scholar on
conflict and peace, with a particular focus on Afghanistan, South Asia, and Central
Asia, and has written numerous books and articles about Afghan history, politics, and
development. Professor Rubin lives in New York.
17.
Defendant National Security Agency /
Central Security Service
(“NSA”) is the agency of the United
States government responsible for administering the warrantless surveillance program
challenged in this case.
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18. Defendant
Lieutenant
General Keith B. Alexander is the Director of the NSA. Defendant Lieutenant General
Alexander has ultimate authority for supervising and implementing all operations and
functions of the NSA.
LEGAL
FRAMEWORK
19.
The First Amendment provides in relevant
part that “Congress shall make
no law . . . abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press.”
20.
The Fourth Amendment provides that “[t]he
right of the people to be
secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no
Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and
particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
21.
Congress has enacted two statutes that
together supply “the
exclusive means by which
electronic surveillance . . . and the interception of domestic wire,
oral, and electronic
communications may be conducted.” 18 U.S.C. § 2511(2)(f) (emphasis added). The first is Title III of the
Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (“Title III”), 18 U.S.C. § 2510 et seq.,
and the second is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. § 1801 et
seq. (“FISA”).
Title III
22.
Congress enacted Title III in response to
the U.S. Supreme Court’s
recognition, in Katz v. United States,
389 U.S. 347 (1967), that individuals have a constitutionally protected privacy
interest in the content of their telephone calls. Through Title III, Congress created a statutory
framework to govern the surveillance of wire and oral communications in law enforcement
investigations.
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23. In its current form,
Title
III authorizes the government to intercept wire, oral, or electronic communications in
investigations of certain enumerated criminal offenses, see 18 U.S.C. § 2516, with
prior judicial approval, see id. § 2518. In order to obtain a court order authorizing the
interception of a wire, oral, or electronic communication, the government must
demonstrate “probable cause for belief that an individual is committing, has committed,
or is about to commit” one of the enumerated criminal offenses. Id. § 2518(3)(a). It
must also demonstrate, among other things, “probable cause for belief that
particular communications concerning [the enumerated] offense will be obtained through [the]
interception,” id. § 2518(3)(b), and that “normal investigative procedures have been tried
and have failed or reasonably appear to be unlikely to succeed if tried or to be too
dangerous,” id. § 2518(3)(c).
24. Every court order
authorizing surveillance under Title III must include a provision requiring that the interception
be “conducted in a such a way as to minimize the interception of communications not
otherwise subject to interception under this chapter.” Id. § 2518(5).
25. While Title III generally
permits
surveillance only with prior
judicial authorization, the
statute includes a provision that allows for warrantless surveillance in “emergency situation[s]” – where, for
example, a “situation exists that involves . . . immediate danger of death or serious
physical injury to any person.” Id. § 2518(7)(a). Where an emergency situation exists and
“there are grounds upon which an order could be entered . . . to authorize . . .
interception,” the statute permits specified executive officials to authorize warrantless
surveillance “if an application for an order approving
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the
interception is made in
accordance with this section within forty-eight hours after the interception has occurred, or begins to
occur.” Id. § 2518(7)(b).
26. Title III specifies civil
and criminal
penalties for surveillance
that is not authorized. See
id. §§ 2511 & 2520.
27. As originally enacted,
Title III provided
that “[n]othing contained
in this chapter. . . shall
limit the constitutional power of the President to take such measures as he deems necessary to protect the
Nation against actual or potential attack or other hostile acts of a foreign power, to
obtain foreign intelligence information deemed essential to the security of the United
States, or to protect national security information against foreign intelligence activities.
Nor shall anything contained in this chapter be deemed to limit the constitutional power
of the President to take such measures as he deems necessary to protect the United
States against the overthrow of the Government by force or other unlawful means, or against
any other clear and present danger to the structure or existence of the
Government.” See 18. U.S.C. § 2511(3) (1976). As discussed below, Congress repealed this
provision in 1978. Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act
28. In 1978, Congress enacted
FISA to govern
the use of electronic
surveillance against foreign powers and
their agents inside the United States. The statute created the Foreign Intelligence
Surveillance Court, a court composed of seven (now eleven) federal district court judges,
and empowered this court to grant or deny government applications for electronic
surveillance orders in foreign intelligence investigations. See 50 U.S.C. § 1803(a).
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29. Congress enacted FISA
after
the U.S. Supreme Court held, in United States v. United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Michigan, 407 U.S. 297 (1972), that the Fourth Amendment does
not permit warrantless surveillance in intelligence investigations of domestic
security threats. FISA was a response to that decision and to the Report of the Senate
Select Committee to Study Government Operations with Respect to Intelligence
Activities, S.Rep. No. 94-755, 94th Cong., 2d Sess. (1976) (“Church Committee Report”),
which found that the executive had engaged in warrantless wiretapping of numerous
United States citizens – including journalists, activists, and Congressmen – who posed no
threat to the nation’s security and who were not suspected of any criminal offense.
The Church Committee Report warned that “[u]nless new and tighter controls are
established by legislation, domestic intelligence activities threaten to undermine our
democratic society and fundamentally alter its nature.”
30. When Congress enacted
FISA, it amended
Title III to provide that the
procedures set out therein and in FISA
“shall be the exclusive means by which electronic surveillance . . . and the interception
of domestic wire, oral, and electronic communications may be conducted.” 18
U.S.C. § 2511(2)(f) (emphasis added). FISA provides that no one may engage in
electronic surveillance “except as authorized by statute,” id. § 1809(a)(1), and it
specifies civil and criminal penalties for electronic surveillance undertaken without statutory
authority, see id. §§ 1809 & 1810. The Senate Judiciary Committee explained that “[t]he
basis for this legislation is the understanding – concurred in by the Attorney General –
that even if the President has an ‘inherent’ Constitutional power to authorize
warrantless surveillance for foreign intelligence
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purposes, Congress has the
power to regulate the exercise of this authority by legislating a reasonable warrant procedure governing
foreign intelligence surveillance.” S. Rep. 95- 604(I), reprinted at 1978 U.S.C.C.A.N. at
3917. The Committee further explained that the legislation was meant to “spell out
that the executive cannot engage in electronic surveillance within the United States
without a prior Judicial warrant.” Id. at 3906.
31. FISA defines “electronic
surveillance” broadly to include:
a. “the acquisition by an electronic,
mechanical, or other surveillance device of the contents of any wire or
radio communication sent by or
intended to be received by a particular, known United States person who is in the United States, if the
contents are acquired by
intentionally targeting that United States person, under circumstances in which a person has a reasonable
expectation of privacy and a
warrant would be required for law enforcement purposes”;
b. “the acquisition by an electronic,
mechanical, or other surveillance device of the contents of any wire
communication to or from a person in the United States, without the consent
of any party thereto, if such
acquisition occurs in the United States . . .”;
c. “the intentional acquisition by an
electronic, mechanical, or other
surveillance device of the contents of any radio communication, under circumstances in which a person has a
reasonable expectation of
privacy and a warrant would be required for law enforcement purposes, and if both the sender and all
intended recipients are located
within the United States”; and
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d. “the installation or use of an
electronic, mechanical, or other surveillance device in the United States
for monitoring to acquire information, other than from a wire or
radio communication, under circumstances in which a person has a
reasonable expectation of privacy and a warrant would be required
for law enforcement purposes.” 50 U.S.C. § 1801(f).
32. FISA defines
“contents” to include “any information concerning the identity of the parties
to such communication or the existence, substance, purport, or meaning of that
communication.” 50 U.S.C. § 1801(n). It defines “United States person” to include United States
citizens and lawful permanent residents. Id. § 1801(d).
33. In order to obtain
an
order from the FISA Court authorizing electronic surveillance, the
government must demonstrate, among other things, probable cause to believe that “the target
of the electronic surveillance is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power” and that
“each of the facilities or places at which the electronic surveillance is directed
is being used, or is about to be used, by a foreign power or an agent of a foreign
power.” Id. § 1805(a)(3).
34. While FISA generally
prohibits surveillance without prior judicial authorization, it, like
Title III, includes a provision that allows for warrantless surveillance in
“emergency situation[s].” Id. § 1805(f). Where an emergency situation exists and “the factual
basis for issuance of an order under this subchapter to approve such surveillance
exists,” the statute permits the Attorney General to authorize warrantless surveillance
“if a judge having jurisdiction under section 1803 of this title is informed by the Attorney
General or his designee at the time of such authorization that
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the decision has been made to employ
emergency electronic surveillance
and if an
application in accordance with this subchapter is made to that judge as
soon as
practicable, but not more than 72 hours after the Attorney General
authorizes such surveillance.” Id.
35. FISA
also allows the Attorney General to authorize electronic surveillance without a
court order for up to one year if the Attorney General certifies in writing under oath that
the electronic surveillance is directed solely at the property or means of communication
used exclusively by a foreign power, that “there is no substantial likelihood
that the surveillance will acquire the contents of any communication to which a
United States person is a party,” and that there are minimization procedures
in place. Id. § 1802.
36. Finally, FISA permits
electronic
surveillance without a court order for fifteen days after a formal declaration
of war. Id. § 1811 (“Notwithstanding any other law, the President,
through the Attorney General, may authorize electronic surveillance without a court order
under this subchapter to acquire foreign intelligence information for a period not to exceed
fifteen calendar days following a declaration of war by the Congress.”).
37. FISA
requires the Attorney General to report to the House and Senate Intelligence Committees
twice a year regarding “all electronic surveillance” authorized under FISA. Id. §
1808(a). Statistics released annually by the Justice Department indicate that, between
1978 and 2004, the government submitted almost 19,000 surveillance applications
to the FISA Court. The FISC denied four of these applications;
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granted approximately 180 applications
with modifications; and granted the remainder without modifications.
FACTUAL
BACKGROUND
The
Program
38. According to published
news reports, in the fall of 2001 the NSA launched a secret
surveillance program (“the Program”) to intercept, without prior judicial authorization,
the telephone and Internet communications of people inside the United States. President
Bush ratified the Program in 2002. Since then, the President has reauthorized the Program
more than 30 times.
39. Under the Program, the
NSA engages in “electronic surveillance” as defined by FISA and Title
III.
40. Under the Program, the
NSA intercepts vast quantities of the international telephone
and Internet communications (hereinafter collectively “communications”) of
people inside the United States, including citizens and lawful permanent residents.
41. Under the Program, the
NSA also intercepts some purely domestic communications, that is,
communications among people all of whom are inside the United States.
42. Under the Program, the
NSA intercepts the communications of people inside the United States
without probable cause to believe that the surveillance targets have committed or are
about to commit any crime.
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43. Under the Program, the
NSA intercepts
the communications of people inside the United States without probable
cause to believe that the surveillance targets are foreign powers or agents
thereof.
44. Under the Program, the
NSA intercepts the communications of people inside the United States
without obtaining authorization for each interception from the President or the Attorney
General.
45. Under the Program, NSA
shift supervisors are authorized to approve NSA employees’ requests
to intercept the communications of people inside the United States.
46. Under the Program, the
NSA accesses communications in at least three ways.
47. First, the NSA uses
NSA-controlled satellite dishes to access communications that are
transmitted via satellite. Some of these NSA-controlled satellite dishes are located within
the United States.
48. Second, the NSA works
with telecommunications companies to access communications that pass
through switches controlled by these companies. These switches, which are
located inside the United States, serve as primary gateways for communications going into
and out of the United States. The switches connect to transoceanic fiber optic cables that
transmit communications to other countries.
49. Third, the NSA works
with Internet providers and telecommunications companies to access
communications transmitted over the Internet.
50. Under the Program, the
NSA intercepts,
retains, and analyzes communications in at least three ways.
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51. First, the
NSA obtains names, telephone numbers and Internet addresses from the cell phones,
computers, and other information found in the possession of persons deemed
suspicious. The NSA intercepts the telephone numbers and Internet addresses associated with
these people, as well as numbers and emails associated with anyone who communicates
with them, and continues to identify additional telephone numbers and Internet
addresses in an expanding network of people with fewer and fewer links to the original
suspect. Through this method, the NSA intercepts the contents of the communications of as many
as a thousand people inside the United States at any one time.
52. Second, the NSA
intercepts communications to and from particular countries, including Iraq
and Afghanistan. The intercepted communications include calls and emails between people
inside the United States and people in those other countries.
53. Third, the NSA engages in
wholesale
datamining of domestic and international communications. It uses
artificial intelligence aids to search for keywords and analyze patterns in
millions of communications at any given time. One purpose of this datamining is to
identify individuals for targeted surveillance.
54. Under the Program,
the NSA does not obtain judicial review before or after intercepting the
communications of people inside the United States.
55. The NSA has submitted
information obtained through the Program to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance
Court in order to support applications for surveillance orders under FISA.
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Plaintiffs’ Allegations
56. Plaintiffs and their
staff and members (hereinafter “plaintiffs”) routinely communicate by email and
telephone with people outside the United States, including people in the Middle East
and Asia.
57. Some of the
plaintiffs, in connection with scholarship, journalism, or legal representation,
communicate with people whom the United States government believes or believed to
be terrorist suspects or to be associated with terrorist organizations.
58. Plaintiffs communicate
about subjects that are likely to trigger scrutiny by the NSA under the
Program.
59. Some of the plaintiffs
conduct research on the Internet concerning topics that are likely to trigger
scrutiny under the Program.
60. Because of the nature of
plaintiffs’
communications and the identities and locations of those with whom they
communicate, plaintiffs have a well-founded belief that their domestic and
international communications are being intercepted by the NSA under the Program.
61. The Program is
substantially impairing plaintiffs’ ability to obtain information from sources
abroad, to locate witnesses, to represent their clients, to conduct scholarship, and to
engage in advocacy.
62. The Program is
inhibiting the lawful, constitutionally protected communications of
plaintiffs and others not before the Court.
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American
Civil Liberties Union and American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
63. The ACLU is a
501(c)(4) non-profit, non-partisan organization that engages in public
education and lobbying about the constitutional principles of liberty and equality. The ACLU
has more than 500,000 members. The ACLU’s activities include lobbying Congress
on legislation that affects civil liberties, analyzing and educating the public
about such legislation, and mobilizing ACLU members and activists to lobby their
legislators to protect civil rights and civil liberties.
64. The ACLUF is a
501(c)(3) organization that educates the public about civil liberties and that
employs lawyers who provide legal representation free of charge in cases involving civil
liberties.
65. Since September 11, a
core priority of the ACLU and the ACLUF has been to publicize and oppose violations
of civil liberties effected in the name of national security. This work
frequently requires ACLU and ACLUF staff and members to communicate by email and
telephone with people and organizations outside the United States. The international
communications of ACLU and ACLUF staff and members concern a range of
subjects that are likely to trigger scrutiny under the Program.
66. For example, in
November and December 2002, ACLU staff traveled to Pakistan to interview men
whom the Immigration and Naturalization Service had arrested and held after the
terrorist attacks of September 2001 as “special interest” detainees but subsequently deported
without having been charged with any terrorism related offense. In preparation for this
trip, ACLU staff communicated by telephone and email with people and organizations
in Pakistan and India. For example, Marsha Zeesman, the ACLU’s Director of
Campaigns and Special Projects, and Emily Whitfield, the ACLU’s
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Media Relations Director, communicated by
telephone and email on multiple occasions with staff of the Human Rights Commission
of Pakistan, an organization based in Karachi. Whitfield also communicated by
email with Ash-har Quraishi, Cable News Network’s correspondent in Pakistan; with
Carlotta Gall, a New York Times correspondent in Pakistan; and with David
Rohde, a New York Times correspondent in India. Some of the communications of ACLU
staff concerned individuals whom the Justice Department’s website describes as
“linked to the September 11th investigation.”
67. In January 2004, the
ACLUF filed a petition with the United Nations Working Group on
Arbitrary Detention on behalf of some of the men whom the INS had held as “special
interest” detainees. The drafting of the petition required ACLUF attorney Omar Jadwat and
other ACLUF employees to communicate by telephone and email with former
detainees living in Pakistan, Egypt, and Jordan
.
68. Since March 2005, ACLUF
attorneys and
staff have been investigating instances in which the CIA has
transferred – “rendered” – foreign nationals to detention and interrogation in
facilities operated by the CIA outside U.S sovereign territory and to countries and
intelligence services that are known to employ torture and other forms
of
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. In connection with this
research, ACLUF attorneys and human rights advisors have
communicated by telephone and email with individuals whom the CIA has alleged are
associated with terrorist organizations. ACLUF attorneys and staff have also
communicated by telephone and email with attorneys representing these individuals.
69. ACLUF attorneys
currently represent Khaled El-Masri, a German citizen residing in
Neu-Ulm, Germany, whom the CIA rendered to a CIA-run prison in
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Afghanistan in January 2004. ACLUF human
rights advisor Steven Watt regularly communicates by telephone and email with
Mr. El-Masri and with Mr. El-Masri’s German attorney, Manfred Gnjidic. In
addition, as part of the ACLU’s research into the extraordinary rendition
program, Mr. Watt regularly communicates by telephone with attorneys based in Sweden
and Egypt representing Ahmed Agiza and Mohammed Alzery, whom the CIA rendered
from Sweden to Egyptian custody in December 2001, and with the Italian attorney
representing Abu Omar, whom the CIA rendered from Italy to Egyptian custody in
February 2003.
70. ACLUF attorneys also
currently represent a number of individuals who were detained and abused
by United States forces at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and at other detention
facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. ACLUF attorney Omar Jadwat and ACLUF human rights
advisor Jamil Dakwar regularly communicate by telephone and email with individuals in
Iraq and Afghanistan, including plaintiffs in the litigation, concerning the treatment
of prisoners held by United States forces in those countries. Some of these
communications concern individuals who remain in the custody of United States forces.
71. Because of the content
of their communications and the identities and locations of individuals
with whom they are communicating, ACLU and ACLUF staff have a well-founded
belief that their communications are being intercepted by the NSA under the Program.
72. The Program
substantially impairs the ability of the ACLU and ACLUF to engage in
communication that is vital to their respective missions. The Program requires ACLU and ACLUF
staff and members to minimize the sensitive information
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they include in their communications
because of the risk that such information will be intercepted. In addition,
ACLU and ACLUF staff and members believe that individuals abroad are more reticent
in communicating with them because of the possibility that their communications are being
intercepted by the NSA under the Program.
73. Attorneys at the ACLUF
have
represented to many of their clients that their telephone and email communications
with ACLUF attorneys are confidential and covered by the attorney-client privilege.
The willingness of ACLUF clients to consult with ACLUF attorneys and to provide
information to ACLUF attorneys is based in part on that assurance. The
Program is inhibiting candid communication between ACLUF attorneys and their
clients and is thereby compromising the ability of ACLUF attorneys to effectively represent
their clients.
American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan
74. The ACLU of Michigan
is the Michigan affiliate of the ACLU and is dedicated to defending
the civil liberties of Michigan residents. Its activities include lobbying the Michigan
legislature on proposed bills that affect civil liberties, educating the Michigan public about
such legislation and mobilizing ACLU of Michigan members and activists to lobby
their representatives to protect civil rights and civil liberties.
75.
Since September 11, 2001, a core priority
of the ACLU of Michigan
has
been to publicize and oppose violations of civil liberties affected in
the name of national security. For example, the Michigan ACLU
established a “Safe and Free Project” devoted to post-9/11 civil liberties
issues and hired a staff attorney for the project. It opposed state legislation
that it believed unnecessarily sacrificed civil liberties in the name of national
security. It mobilized its members to lobby local government bodies
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across the state, resulting in the
enactment of sixteen local resolutions opposing provisions of the USA
PATRIOT Act that pose the most serious threats to civil liberties. The manner in which
post-9/11 measures impact Arab-Americans is especially important to the Michigan ACLU
affiliate because southeast Michigan has the highest concentration of
Arab-Americans in the country.
76. The ACLU of Michigan
has many members who regularly communicate with people outside the
United States, including in the Middle East and Asia. Because of the
nature of these communications, the identities of the individuals with whom they
communicate, and the locations of individuals with whom they communicate, ACLU of
Michigan members have a well-founded belief that their communications are being
intercepted by the NSA under the Program. The Program is inhibiting ACLU of
Michigan members from communicating freely and candidly in their personal and professional
communications.
Noel Saleh
77. Noel Saleh is a member
of the ACLU of Michigan who resides in Wayne County, Michigan. He is a United
States citizen. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Michigan and
served as the staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan’s “Safe and
Free Project” from 2002 to 2004.
78. Mr. Saleh has been a
community activist for Arab causes both in the United States and in the
Arab World. Since 1989 he has served on the board of ACCESS, the Arab
Community Center for Economic and Social Services. Currently, he is the Chair of the
ACCESS Board of Directors. As part of his role as an ACCESS Board member, Mr. Saleh is
frequently called upon to comment on current affairs and events
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affecting the Arab American community.
79. Mr. Saleh has friends
and family in Lebanon, Jordan and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
with whom he frequently communicates by phone and by email. Prior to becoming aware
of the Program, Mr. Saleh communicated with family members about various political
topics and their opinions on current events including Israeli repression of
Palestinians under occupation, Palestinian Right of Return and
statehood, Islamic fundamentalists, terrorism, Osama
bin Laden, al Qaeda, and America’s role in each of these areas.
80. Because of his
frequent communications with numerous people in the Middle East and other
foreign countries about topics likely to trigger monitoring, Mr. Saleh has a well-founded
belief that his communications are currently being intercepted by the NSA under the
Program.
81. The likelihood that
his communications are being intercepted by the NSA under the Program
impinges on Mr. Saleh’s ability to communicate freely and candidly in his
international calls and emails. Since learning of the Program in news reports, he has refrained
from talking about or emailing friends and family abroad about topics that might trigger
monitoring.
82. The Program also
interferes with Mr. Saleh’s efforts to promote peace and justice in this
country. Before he became aware of the Program, he felt free to engage in free and open
communication with people in other countries about critical issues of the day. He
gained unique insight from these conversations into U.S. foreign policy that he could not
gain from the media in this country. Because of the NSA Program, he is less
willing to engage in substantive discussions with people abroad and
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therefore is not able to either gain these
unique insights or share them with others.
Mohammed
Abdrabboh
83. Mohammed Abdrabboh is
a member of the ACLU of Michigan and has been a member of the ACLU of Michigan’s
Board of Directors since 2002. He is a United States citizen and a licensed
attorney in the State of Michigan, with a practice in immigration, criminal defense and civil
rights law, in Wayne County, Michigan. Mr. Abdrabboh serves as a Commissioner on the
Michigan Civil Rights Commission, to which he was appointed by the Governor in
May 2003. Mr. Abrabboh also teaches a course on civil liberties and national
security at the University of Michigan at Dearborn.
84. Mr. Abdrabboh
frequently communicates by telephone and email with family in the West Bank, Gaza, and
Jerusalem. After law school, Mr. Abdrabboh worked for Al Haq, a human rights organization
in the West Bank. He frequently communicates with friends and acquaintances he met
while working there. He also communicates a number of times per month by telephone
and email with friends and acquaintances in Saudi Arabia.
85. Approximately
ninety-percent of Mr. Abdrabboh’s clientele come from countries in the Middle East. As part of
his immigration practice, he regularly represents individuals who live in the Middle East
and are seeking to enter the United States, and as part of his representation he must
conduct all communications with them through telephone and email. The nature of Mr.
Abdrabboh’s law practice requires him to communicate regularly by telephone and
email with people in Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza. His practice also requires that
he occasionally communicate with individuals by telephone and email in Jordan,
Afghanistan and Yemen. These communications are
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essential in providing effective
representation to his clients.
86. As part of his
criminal defense practice, Mr. Abdrabboh has represented and continues to
represent people the government has suspected of allegedly having some link to terrorism or
terrorist organizations.
87. Because of the nature
of his communications, the identities and locations of people with whom he
communicates, Mr. Abdrabboh has a well-founded belief that his
communications are being intercepted by the NSA under the Program.
88. The Program has
inhibited communications between Mr. Abdrabboh and his family and
friends because he is less candid about his political views and avoids saying things that are
critical of the U.S. government over the telephone or through email.
89. The Program has
inhibited communications between Mr. Abdrabboh and his clients, both
foreign and domestic. Since learning of the Program, Mr. Abdrabboh has limited his
communications about sensitive or privileged matters over the telephone or by email for
fear the government is monitoring the communication. Instead, he has tried to limit
such communications to in-person meetings, which has greatly impaired his ability to
quickly get information he needs for the purpose of representing clients. Mr. Adbrabboh
also believes that some of his clients have now stopped giving him sensitive information
over the telephone. In one instance, a client who now lives in Afghanistan refused to
share information over the telephone with Mr. Adbrabboh that was necessary to his
representation in an immigration matter because the client feared the communication was being
monitored by the government.
Nabih
Ayad
90. Nabih Ayad is a member
of the ACLU of Michigan. He is a licensed
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attorney whose practice includes
immigration, criminal defense and civil rights cases, in Wayne County, Michigan.
Since 2002, he has served on the Lawyers Committee of the ACLU of Michigan, a
committee that makes recommendations to the Board of Directors about which cases to
pursue.
91. In his immigration
practice, Mr. Ayad represents individuals throughout the Middle East and South
Asia including individuals from Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, United Arab
Emirates, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The government has attempted to deport some
of his clients because of suspected ties to terrorism. For example, the government
suspected some of his clients of supporting, or having ties to, the military wing of
Hezbollah, a group that has been designated a terrorist organization by the Department of
State. Mr. Ayad has also represented individuals from Lebanon, Liberia, and Trinidad who
seek political asylum in this country. He successfully prevented 130 immigrants
from Lebanon and Yemen accused of visa fraud from being deported through an
expedited removal process. In the course of his immigration practice, Mr. Ayad is
required to communicate by phone or through email with clients, clients’ families and
associates, and witnesses in the countries mentioned above.
92. Mr. Ayad has
represented criminal defendants from Middle Eastern countries who have been
accused of terrorism-related crimes. For example, he represented one
individual from Jordan with suspected ties to the Taliban who came into this country with $12
million of counterfeit checks. He represented a man for Yemen who case was dismissed at
the preliminary examination after he was wrongfully accused of attempting to blow up
a federal building in Detroit. He also represented individuals from Lebanon who were
accused of smuggling weapons oversees to Hezbollah. Through
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the course of his criminal defense work,
it is necessary to prepare a defense by communicating with clients, clients’
families, witnesses and others in the client’s home countries.
93. Mr. Ayad is a
naturalized U.S. Citizen who was born in Lebanon. He has family and friends in
Lebanon and Germany with whom he communicates by phone and email. When speaking
with friends and family in the past, he discussed current events in the Middle East
including the war in Iraq and terrorism.
94. Because of
the nature of his communications, the identities of the some of the people with whom
he communicates and the subject matter of conversations, Mr. Ayad has a well-founded
belief that his communications are being intercepted by the NSA under the Program.
95. The Program has
already inhibited communications between Mr. Ayad and individuals in the
Middle East and Asia that are necessary to provide effective legal representation to his
clients. Because of the Program, Mr. Ayad will not have certain kinds of conversations by
phone or email for fear that the government might be monitoring his
communications. For example, he will no longer communicate by phone or email about important
strategic matters and about certain evidence in terrorist-related immigration or criminal
cases. In addition, because of the program Mr. Ayad will even avoid discussing certain
political topics with family and friends abroad for fear that such conversations will
trigger monitoring.
Council
on American-Islamic Relations
96. Plaintiff
CAIR is a non-profit and non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to enhancing
the general public’s understanding of Islam, protecting civil
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liberties, empowering American Muslims and
building coalitions that promote social justice and mutual understanding. CAIR is
the largest Islamic civil liberties organization in the United States with more than 30
affiliated sister chapters throughout the United States and Canada representing the
interests of over seven million American Muslims.
97. CAIR’s Communications
Department works in conjunction with local, national and international media outlets
to ensure that an accurate portrayal of Islam and Muslims is presented to the general
public. CAIR’s daily news release service reaches individuals and international media
outlets on a daily basis. Because of its communications work, CAIR has become a
respected and credible source for journalists and other media professionals worldwide.
CAIR representatives are regularly interviewed by CNN, BBC World Service,
FOX News, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times, as
well as media outlets throughout the Muslim world, such as Al-Jazeera,
Al-Arabiya, the Middle East Broadcasting Company (MBC), GEO TV (Pakistan), Al-Ahram, and
other international print and broadcast outlets.
98. Because of its
advocacy work, CAIR makes international telephone calls and write emails to journalists
worldwide.
99. CAIR’s international
media communications are vital to its organizational goals of enhancing
understanding of Islam, facilitating inter-cultural understanding, ensuring fair and accurate
portrayals of Islam and Muslims in the media, and serving as a bridge between American
and the Muslim world. CAIR’s
communications with members of the American Muslim community are also
an essential part of its
organizational success. Many members of the American Muslim community
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communicate, both electronically and
otherwise, to their families abroad.
100. CAIR’s international
media communications cover a range of subjects that are likely to
trigger NSA scrutiny under the Program. These subjects include Islam, extremism, post-9/11
policies, surveillance, terrorism and counterterrorism, the war in Iraq and the American
Muslim community.
101. CAIR’s Communications
Department drafts press releases, edits opinion articles and coordinates public
education campaigns related to CAIR’s mission and vision. In this role,
CAIR’s Communications Department receives calls from journalists from all over
the world who seek information or official comment from the American Muslim
perspective on issues related to CAIR’s press releases or official positions.
102. The Program
substantially impairs the ability of CAIR to engage in communications that are
vital to its mission and the ability of the American Muslim community to freely
communicate abroad without the fear of being placed under unlawful surveillance.
103. As a civil rights
organization, CAIR also communicates confidential information about pending
civil rights cases via international telephone calls and emails.
104. For example, after
two high-profile individuals, musician Cat Stevens (known as Yusuf Islam
since his conversion to Islam) and world-renowned academic Tariq Ramadan, named one
of TIME Magazine’s Top 100 Innovators, were denied admission to the United
States; CAIR personally spoke with and emailed each of the individuals abroad.
105. The members of the
American Muslim community, many of whom are
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