At a glance
July 19, 2012 at 2:20AM
Who's being sued: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta; CIA Director David Petraeus, and two senior U.S. military commanders.
Why: For authorizing drone attacks in Yemen last year that killed radical Muslim cleric Anwar al-Awlaki; his son Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, and Samir Khan, who all were American citizens.
What the suit says: "The killings violated fundamental rights afforded to all U.S. citizens, including the right not to be deprived of life without due process of law."
NEW YORK TIMES
