Judge hears sides in wiretap suit

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A lawsuit alleging that Verizon Communications Inc. illegally turned over customer records as part of the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program should go forward because of a recent admission by the U.S. spy chief, lawyers argued Thursday.

In a newspaper interview published last week, National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell acknowledged that private-sector companies helped the government investigate suspected terrorists in a probe authorized by President Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Outrage over the eavesdropping tactics, including obtaining private telephone logs without a warrant, has led to some 50 lawsuits against telecommunications companies and the government, all of which are before U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker in San Francisco.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is also hearing the government’s request to dismiss two lawsuits, one filed by customers of AT&T Inc. against the company, and another brought by the now-defunct Oregon charity Al Haramain Islamic Foundation and two of its lawyers, who say the National Security Agency illegally listened to their calls.