Thanks, New York Times
Iyman Faris, the only terrorist who has been named publicly in connection with the NSA terrorist surveillance program, has moved to set aside his conviction for conspiring to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge on the ground that he was "illegally" spied upon by NSA. Faris's cause is being taken up by the American Civil Liberties Union:
In many ways, Faris is not an ideal plaintiff for attorneys who hope to focus their case on whether the president abused his authority by spying on innocent Americans. Faris’ guilt is widely acknowledged, despite his recent claims of innocence. Among the evidence against him, prosecutors alleged that he sent a message to al-Qaida leadership in 2003 claiming that “the weather is too hot,” a signal that he could not follow through with his Brooklyn Bridge plan.
The NSA's international surveillance program is legal, but the Democrats' partisan insistence to the contrary, notwithstanding the different tune they sang during the Clinton administration, could have serious consequences.
