ACLU and CCR File Lawsuit Challenging Targeted Killing of Three U.S. Citizens

[The Northerner]

Today, the ACLU and the Center for Constitutional Rights filed a lawsuit challenging the government’s targeted killing of three U.S. citizens in drone strikes far from any armed conflict zone.

In Al-Aulaqi v. Panetta (Al-Awlaki v. Panetta), we charge that senior CIA and military officials violated the Constitution and international law when they authorized and directed drone strikes that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. citizens – Anwar Al-Aulaqi, Samir Khan, and 16-year-old Abdulrahman Al-Aulaqi – in Yemen last year.

The killings were part of a broader program of “targeted killing” by the U.S. government outside the context of armed conflict and based on vague legal standards, a closed executive process, and evidence never presented to the courts.

On September 30, 2011, U.S. strikes killed Anwar Al-Aulaqi, who had been placed on CIA and JSOC “kill lists” over a year before, and another American, Samir Khan. Two weeks later, on October 14, U.S. strikes killed 16-year-old Abdulrahman Al-Aulaqi, Anwar Al-Aulaqi’s son, at an open-air restaurant. Our new video features Nasser Al-Aulqai – the grandfather of Abdulrahman – speaking about the death of his grandson.

Nasser Al-Aulaqi speaks about the illegal killing of his 16-year-old grandson.

Read more: http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/aclu-and-ccr-file-lawsuit-challenging-targeted-killing-three-us-citizens


I hope that the ACLU & CCR are both successful with their lawsuit and bring justice to the families of the three persons who were murdered without trial.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. "Targeted Killing". The Mafia called it "putting out a contract" or "a Hit". Same thing.

The difference being that the murderers work for us.

[The Northerner]

2. +1 I couldn't agree more

and the targeted killings are still occurring despite increasing the deficit and creating more blowback that could have major repercussions.