( CNN ) -- A federal judge wants to see secret videotapes showing terror suspects forcibly removed from their cells at the Guantanamo Bay military prison . The sharply worded order from Judge John Bates , of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia , was issued late Wednesday in a lawsuit brought by relatives of Kuwaiti inmates being held at the overseas facility in Cuba . At issue is whether the Pentagon can withhold these kinds of government records -- including various media material -- that would be an invasion of privacy , or involve `` internal rules and practices of an agency . '' The defendants in a lawsuit demanded access under a Freedom of Information Act request , claiming military guards have been mistreating the four prisoners , including the alleged `` forced cell extractions '' ( FCEs ) . After three previous orders to speed up delivery of the material or justify withholding it , the judge appeared miffed at the government 's latest efforts to hinder release of the 45 videotapes and one audiotape in question . A previous `` last chance '' admonition by the judge apparently was not met by the Justice Department . `` Attempts by the Department to 'correct ' or supplement its prior submissions have resulted in further obfuscation , '' said Bates , who said he now needs to see the disputed tapes for himself . `` The written ( descriptive ) submissions provided by the Department simply do not allow the court meaningfully to assess whether the claimed exemptions actually apply . '' Federal officials had said access to the tapes by the plaintiffs or to the public at large would violate the privacy , and perhaps endanger the safety , of the U.S. guards seen removing the foreign prisoners . But the court was skeptical such exemptions would apply . `` No argument has been made here that the videos relate to 'issues of employee relations and human resources ' nor would such an argument be viable based on the record currently before the court , '' wrote Bates , who was nominated by former President George W. Bush just a week before the September 11 , 2001 terror attacks . `` The court will order that a representative sample of the videorecordings be produced '' for review by the judge in private , in his chambers . Bates would then have the discretion to turn over the material to the defense , which could later be presented at any trial . The current lawsuit was filed four years ago , and is one of several brought by Gitmo detainees over their treatment and continued custody without charges or trial . The case is International Counsel Bureau v. U.S. Department of Defense ( cv-08-1063 ) .
Order was issued in a suit brought by parents of Kuwaiti children at Gitmo . Secret tapes show terror suspects being forcibly removed from their cells . Judge says he will review the tapes to decide whether they can be used as evidence . He had issued three previous orders to speed up proceedings or consider withholding them .