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

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