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AT&T, Phone Records, and the NSA
Wired has published all the documents relating to AT&T turning over phone information to the NSA (National Security Agency). In explaining why, Wired reports that:
...we believe the public's right to know the full facts in this case outweighs AT&T's claims to secrecy.As a result, we are publishing the complete text of a set of documents from the EFF's primary witness in the case, former AT&T employee and whistle-blower Mark Klein -- information obtained by investigative reporter Ryan Singel through an anonymous source close to the litigation. The documents, available on Wired News as of Monday, consist of 30 pages, with an affidavit attributed to Klein, eight pages of AT&T documents marked "proprietary," and several pages of news clippings and other public information related to government-surveillance issues.
Wondering what this is all about? This all became public as a result of the Electronic Frontier Foundation which sued AT&T over turning over information to the NSA. As reported by Wired: "AT&T Sued Over NSA Eavesdropping."
The court recently partially ruled against AT&T which was trying to block the release of the documents. From the article:
In the standing-room-only hearing Wednesday, the judge rejected the EFF's request that the documents provided to the organization by former company technician Mark Klein be unsealed in court records, and ordered EFF not to share the papers with anyone."It appears that there is a possibility that the documents contain significant trade secrets or proprietary information belonging to AT&T," said Walker.
But he rejected AT&T's motion asking the court to order EFF to return the documents to the company, noting, "Plaintiffs say they got the documents innocently, therefore, their possession is in no way improper and in no way illegal."
He also rejected AT&T's request for the judge to enjoin Klein from talking about the documents or providing them to others, saying that AT&T could sue the whistle-blower on its own.
For more information:
The EFF page on AT&T and the NSA
All the documents as a PDF.
c|net report: "Legal loophole emerges in NSA spy program"
— michael | May 22, 2006 11:36 AM | Something to think about
