Oregon Public Broadcasting

Judge Vaughn Walker declined to sanction the federal government for refusing to produce a classified document in the Oregon-based Al-Haramain case.

April Baer reports that after the hearing, the judge is closer to ruling on whether the defunct charity was illegally wiretapped.

At an earlier hearing, Judge Walker suggested the federal defendants give him reason not to sanction them for not allowing access to a classified document--it's believed to pertain to surveillance matters.

The Obama Justice Department -- like the Bush Justice Department before it -- has repeatedly cited concerns for national security in keeping the document secret.

Al-Haramain was shut down after it was designated a sponsor of terrorism back in 2004.

The charity's attorneys have been trying to get the classified document introduced into court record, in hopes of proving their client was the target of warrantless wiretapping.

While the judge declined to sanction the Justice Department for its refusal to cooperate, he also instructed the plaintiffs to prepare a motion for summary judgment--possibly a sign the case is moving toward a final stage.

That motion will be presented at a hearing in September.