Contempt Order on Twelve Corporations Suspected of Financing Terrorism Upheld
In In Re: Grand Jury Subpoenas (T-112), No. 06-2125, the Fourth Circuit faced a challenge to the district court's finding of contempt of twelve corporations suspected of participating in financing terrorist activities, for refusing to turn over documents demanded by grand jury subpoena.
In rejecting claims brought by one of the corporations of Fourth Amendment violations and illegal wiretapping, the court held that a grand jury enforcement action is not the appropriate place to litigate the validity of such claims.
The court also rejected claims by the other eleven corporations that the contempt order was an abuse of discretion because the order was ambiguous and that they did not know that they were violating a valid decree. The court upheld the contempt order concluding that the defendants' claims did not square with the facts on the record.
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