] NEW YORK (AP) -- Declaring that personal security is as
] important as national security, a judge Wednesday blocked
] the government from conducting secret, unchallengeable
] searches of Internet and telephone records as part of its
] fight against terrorism.
]
] The American Civil Liberties Union called the ruling a
] "landmark victory" against the Justice Department's
] post-September 11 law enforcement powers.
]
] "Today's ruling is a wholesale refutation of excessive
] government secrecy and unchecked executive power," said
] ACLU attorney Jameel Jaffer.
]
] U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero struck down a
] provision of the Patriot Act that authorizes the FBI to
] force Internet service providers and phone companies to
] turn over certain customer records. The companies are
] then barred from ever disclosing the search took place.

Woo-hoo!