[Infowarrior] - AT&T spying lawsuit delayed

[Richard Forno]

AT&T spying lawsuit delayed

By Reuters
http://news.com.com/AT38T+spying+lawsuit+delayed/2100-1028_3-6103656.html

Story last modified Wed Aug 09 07:25:06 PDT 2006

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A federal judge has temporarily halted further review of a lawsuit charging
that AT&T illegally allowed the U.S. government to monitor phone and e-mail
communications.

Earlier this year, privacy rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation sued
the telecom giant, saying the U.S. program eavesdrops on phone calls and
reads e-mails of millions of Americans without warrants.

Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker rejected a request from
the head of U.S. intelligence and other officials to dismiss the suit.

But on Tuesday Walker said he would stay the case pending an appeal of his
earlier decision by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He said he was
also awaiting another court decision that could bundle similar lawsuits
across the nation before his or another court.

"The issues here are serious indeed," he said. "Prudence requires a stay of
some durationŠI'm thinking about a stay until some time in late September or
October."

Walker also said if the case proceeded he was considering asking former CIA
director James Woolsey to serve as an expert assisting the court review
issues in the case.

Story Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.