The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
May 22, 2012

Supreme Court to Hear Electronic Surveillance Case 
---------------------------------------------------


 
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether a group of human
rights activists, journalists and lawyers have the legal right to
challenge the U.S. government’s sweeping use of electronic
surveillance. The plaintiffs, represented by the American Civil
Liberties Union, say they have reason to fear their phone calls with
clients and sources overseas will be monitored. Among the plaintiffs are
lawyers representing prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay. The case relates
to the broadening of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by
Congress in 2008 which allowed U.S. officials to monitor communications
in the United States if one person involved is abroad and the targets
are foreigners believed to be outside the country.

 

.