Justice Department to declassify key Yahoo surveillance orders
Source: Guardian
Justice Department to declassify key Yahoo surveillance orders
Obama administration to complete declassification review of Yahoo orders by 12 September, setting stage for public release
The Obama administration has agreed to a review that could lead to the declassification of key surveillance orders in response to a lawsuit brought by Yahoo, potentially providing one of clearest views yet into the legal mechanics of the National Security Agency.
As required by judge Reggie Walton of the secret Fisa court, which oversees surveillance orders, the Justice Department will complete a declassification review of binding surveillance orders on Yahoo by 12 September, potentially setting the stage for their public release.
The key document at issue, an opinion from the court from 25 April 2008, mandating Yahoo's compliance with a bulk surveillance order, will have a declassification review completed in 45 days, the Justice Department told the court in a brief letter released Tuesday morning.
An additional declassification review of "briefs and materials" related to the April 2008 ruling will be complete "by Friday, September 27, 2013, 60 days from today," acting assistant attorney general for national security John Carlin told Walton in the letter, with "the other briefs and materials that the Government has identified as potentially relevant to the court's memorandum of opinion (see appendix A) on a rolling basis thereafter."
It is possible the Justice Department review will not result in the declassification of the documents. If not, however, it risks the ire of a key surveillance partner, the presiding judge of the surveillance court, and powerful legislators who urge transparency.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/justice-department-declassify-yahoo-surveillance-orders
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