By anonymous witnesses and unregulated surveillance technology:
A federal appeals court in Chicago held a highly unusual closed-door session with government officials today after debating in public whether attorneys for a local terrorism suspect should be allowed to view confidential surveillance documents filed in the case.
After 30 minutes of public arguments in the case of Adel Daoud, Judge Richard Posner ordered the stately courtroom of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals cleared for a “secret portion” of the proceedings.
Daoud’s attorney, Thomas Durkin, rose to object, but Posner did not acknowledge him.
Deputy U.S. marshals then ordered everyone out – including Durkin and his co-counsel. After about five minutes, marshals let back into the courtroom federal officials with the proper security clearance, including U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon, his first assistant, Gary Shapiro, and about two dozen FBI and U.S. Department of Justice officials.
Posner has just added to his already stellar reputation. He’s definitely in the “capitalism can be used to solve all our problems” camp. And now this!