NEW YORK, NY August 06, 2007 —A Federal judge ruled the City must turn over the New York Police Department's secret intelligence documents generated during preparations for the 2004 Republican National Convention. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

At issue thousands of pages of secret material, some of which may be related to surveillance of political groups and individuals leading up to the RNC. Federal Judge James Francis turned aside the City's contention that releasing the material could compromise vital details about the scale and scope of the NYPD's post 9/11 intelligence program. They include references and names of undercover officers, which the judge said can be redacted.

He also will allow some of documents that make no reference to the RNC to remain secret. The material is at the center of a lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union on behalf of people who say they were illegally arrested during the convention, and held for a prolonged period. The NYPD says its actions were justified because by what it learned through its covert intelligence program.