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02/13/2005:

"Judge Questions Gov't Response to Detainee"

WASHINGTON (AP) - Concerned about government secrecy in a terrorism case, a federal judge expressed skepticism Friday at the Bush administration's request to dismiss a lawsuit on behalf of a Virginia man held in Saudi Arabia.

The government is bolstering its effort to get the case thrown out by submitting classified information to U.S. District Judge John Bates that is unavailable to lawyers for imprisoned terrorist suspect Ahmed Abu Ali.

``This is about as close to a state secrets shutdown'' of a case without the executive branch of government actually doing so, the judge said at a hearing.

One of Abu Ali's lawyers, David Cole, argued that ``the government would throw the adversarial process out the window'' with classified information that the other side is not allowed to see.

The suit by Abu Ali's family marks the latest instance in which the Bush administration is trying to keep terrorism suspects beyond the reach of U.S. courts.
Full Article: guardian.co.uk