The U.S. Government Must Disclose the Names of the Detainees - 2002-08-03

A federal judge in the United States has ruled that the government must disclose the names of anyone detained on U.S. soil in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks. Judge Gladys Kessler states that the government has 15 days to release the names of the detainees, who are believed to number around one thousand. Most of these individuals are immigrants. Judge Kessler argues that secret detentions are abhorrent for an open, democratic, and free society, and the government has failed to provide a convincing reason for not disclosing these individuals. She further stated that revealing the names of those detained is an action that distinguishes a democratic society from dictatorial ones. Civil rights groups, which oppose the government's policy on the secret detention of individuals suspected of terrorist connections, have praised this ruling. However, the U.S. Department of Justice claims that this decision could complicate the identification of individuals linked to the September 11 attacks. Yet, government officials have not indicated whether they will appeal this ruling.