Judge Sides With Feds in Surveillance Lawsuit

A federal judge has sided with the government in a lawsuit over the National Security Agency's bulk collection of Internet and telephone records in the hunt for potential terrorists.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in Oakland ruled on Tuesday that the plaintiffs in the case — AT&T customers — had not shown the data-collection process works as they allege, and they therefore did not have standing to file a lawsuit under the Fourth Amendment, which protects against warrantless searches and seizures.

White, additionally, said the claim would have to be dismissed to protect state secrets.

Nate Cardozo, a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which brought the lawsuit, said the judge did not dismiss all of the claims. The foundation plans to continue fighting the case in court.