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Former Groom Lake workers file appeal

Former workers who claimed they were made ill by the illegal burning of hazardous wastes at a classified U.S. Air Force base near Groom Lake filed another court appeal Thursday in an effort to prevent investigators from questioning them about possible environmental crimes at the facility.

Attorneys for the injured workers filed an emergency motion with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking that planned field interviews with current and former workers at the Area 51 installation be halted until they can argue in court the need to guarantee their anonymity.

The former workers, who filed "John Doe" lawsuits against the federal government, contend that if they are identified as plaintiffs in the civil actions they can be arrested for violating national security laws prohibiting them from discussing activities at the classified military installation.

U.S. District Judge Philip Pro ruled last week that federal criminal investigators can interview current and former workers at the base as long as they do not ask workers if they are part of the lawsuit or ask them to identify anyone who is.

"Court agreed that it was necessary to protect the identity of workers who filed lawsuits against the federal government," said John Turley, an attorney with the Environmental Crimes Project in Washington, D.C., in his emergency motion. "But workers believe the court's promised protection is inadequate.

"The government had threatened that workers who spoke to counsel regarding their employment at the facility would be subject to arrest."