Justice Dept. Sued Over Secret Memo on Killing Civilians at Sea

Two legal organizations have sued the U.S. Department of Justice. They are demanding the release of a secret legal memo. The memo reportedly explains the Trump administration's legal justification for a specific military tactic. This tactic involves striking suspected terrorist boats, even if civilian passengers are on board. The lawsuit claims the public has a right to see this document. It argues the memo may authorize the killing of civilians without trial. “The public deserves to know how the Trump administration has justified the outright murder of civilians as lawful,” the groups stated in their legal filing. The Justice Department has not commented on the ongoing case. The lawsuit seeks a court order to force the memo's disclosure under public records law.