Supreme Court rules in favor of FBI in case involving surveillance of Muslim community in California

Washington — The Supreme Court on Friday sided with the FBI in a dispute over its efforts to stop from going forward a lawsuit brought by three Muslim men who argue the federal government targeted them and their Southern California community for surveillance based on their religion.

The court issued a unanimous decision addressing what it said was the narrow question of whether a provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) displaces the state-secrets privilege, which was asserted by the federal government in its request that the men's claims be dismissed. The FBI argued disclosure of the information sought by the three men would harm national-security interests.

Writing for the unanimous court, Justice Samuel Alito said the justices did not decide whether a federal district court was correct to dismiss most of the claims from the three men and send the case back to the lower court for further proceedings.