Secret Arguments for Secret Case

Today, the government asked the Supreme Court to let it keep even its arguments secret in the “Secret Case” I posted about here.

According to Gina Holland, writing for the Associated Press:

Solicitor General Theodore Olson told justices in a one-paragraph filing that "this matter pertains to information that is required to be kept under seal."

Lucy A. Dalglish, executive director of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, expressed the frustration I feel about the government’s position when she said:

"The idea that there is nothing that could be filed publicly is really ridiculous," she said. "It just emphasizes our point that we're living in frightening times. People can be arrested, thrown in jail and have secret court proceedings, and we know absolutely nothing about it."

I know we are in a war. I realize that the evil doers want to make the U.S. the battleground. I cannot understand, nor even imagine, why it is that the government cannot acknowledge that this case exits and at least explain why some information should be secret. Without such an explanation I have no faith in this unprecedented secrecy in a U.S. federal court case.

What is it that the government, and two lower courts are hiding?

UPDATE: The government's single paragraph public response is available here courtesy of SCOTUSblog.