Targeted Killing Memos Can Remain Secret

Targeted Killing Memos Can Remain Secret

A federal court ruled memos legally justifying the targeted killings of people suspected of terrorism overseas can remain classified, according to an unsealed document released Monday. The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a Freedom of Information Act request by The New York Times and the American Civil Liberties Union. The appeals court decided last year to release portions of a 41-page memorandum from 2010 on drone killings, ruling that government officials waived the right to secrecy by making public statements justifying the killings. The ACLU and NYT had then sought eight additional memos on targeted killings, but a district court denied the request and the appeals court upheld the decision.