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OTTAWA — Federal lawyers want closed-door hearings in a high-profile B.C. court case about allegations that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service spied on anti-pipeline activists.

The civil liberties group that filed the complaints against CSIS opposes the federal secrecy request, saying it blatantly violates the principle that justice must be seen to be done.

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The matter was argued Thursday in an open session of the Federal Court of Canada.

The judge’s decision, expected in about month, will determine how much the public gets to see and hear when the court considers whether Canada’s spy agency overstepped the law in monitoring environmental activists.

The decision could also set a precedent that dictates whether future court challenges of CSIS activities are held openly or in secret.

The case began four years ago when the B.C. Civil Liberties Association complained to the CSIS watchdog after media reports suggested the spy service and other government agencies considered opposition to the petroleum industry as a threat to national security.