Bills Would Shield DIA Documents From FOIA

Bills Would Shield DIA Documents From FOIA

By LIZ SIDOTI
The Associated Press
Monday, December 12, 2005; 7:28 PM

WASHINGTON -- The public could be barred from accessing some Defense Intelligence Agency
records under legislation opposed by groups that advocate for civil liberties and keeping
government as open as possible.

A provision included in Senate defense and intelligence bills would give the DIA's director,
Army Maj. Gen. Michael D. Maples, the authority to exempt operational files from the Freedom
of Information Act.

Corresponding House bills do not include the provision, and it is unclear whether that will
wind up in final legislation.

Groups opposing the provision say the public access to the records is important because,
for example, it recently brought to light unclassified DIA files that included photographs
of prisoner abuses in Iraq and alleged criminal misconduct by agency employees.