Court Ruling Prevents US Government From Releasing Osama Bin Laden Death Photos
https://nigeriaafrica1.blogspot.com/2013/05/court-ruling-prevents-us-government.html
On Tuesday, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. government is not legally required to release the requested set of over 50 pictures of Osama bin Laden that were taken after his death.
The photos were requested by Judicial Watch, a conservative nonprofit group that advocates for transparency of government actions in order to bolster accountability.
But a unanimous ruling by three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals denied the group’s demand that the government is legally obligated to release the photos to the public.
Judicial Watch initially sued the government (yes, you can do that) to see photographs and videos from the May 2011 raid, in which U.S. special forces shot and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad, Pakistan.
The lawsuit cited the Freedom of Information Act, a 1966 law that guarantees public access to certain government documents.
President Obama told the appeals court that releasing the images could cause riots overseas and at home that would put Americans at risk.
“It is undisputed that the government is withholding the images not to shield wrongdoing or avoid embarrassment, but rather to prevent the killing of Americans and violence against American interests,” the President reportedly said.
Therefore, the court ruled that the risk of violence justifies the decision to classify these photos as top secret, an exception to the Freedom of Information Act.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said that the ruling “would allow terrorists to dictate our laws.”
The group does not intend to cease its demand for the photos and is considering taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
But a unanimous ruling by three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals denied the group’s demand that the government is legally obligated to release the photos to the public.
Judicial Watch initially sued the government (yes, you can do that) to see photographs and videos from the May 2011 raid, in which U.S. special forces shot and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbotabad, Pakistan.
The lawsuit cited the Freedom of Information Act, a 1966 law that guarantees public access to certain government documents.
President Obama told the appeals court that releasing the images could cause riots overseas and at home that would put Americans at risk.
“It is undisputed that the government is withholding the images not to shield wrongdoing or avoid embarrassment, but rather to prevent the killing of Americans and violence against American interests,” the President reportedly said.
Therefore, the court ruled that the risk of violence justifies the decision to classify these photos as top secret, an exception to the Freedom of Information Act.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said that the ruling “would allow terrorists to dictate our laws.”
The group does not intend to cease its demand for the photos and is considering taking the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
