Opposing Digits

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department asked a federal court on Monday to dismiss a lawsuit charging that Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld bears responsibility for the torture of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In its first substantive response to the lawsuit filed by two rights groups, the Justice Department said the suit against Rumsfeld should be dismissed based on the "absolute immunity" granted federal officials under 1988 legislation on civil lawsuits.

# posted by madthumbs @ 8:52 PM