http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=4592
Domestic Spying Far Outpaces Terrorism Prosecutions
Freedom; Posted on: 2008-05-14
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As more Americans are watched, fewer cases are made. The trend concerns
civil
liberties groups as well as some lawmakers and legal experts.
Court Order? Warrant? Who Needs Them?!
http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=214
How Crazy Does it Have to Get?
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The Surveillance Scam
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By Richard B. Schmitt
Los Angeles Times
The number of Americans being secretly wiretapped or having their
financial
and other records reviewed by the government has continued to increase as
officials aggressively use powers approved after the Sept. 11 attacks. But
the
number of terrorism prosecutions ending up in court -- one measure of the
effectiveness of such sleuthing -- has continued to decline, in some cases
precipitously.
The trends, visible in new government data and a private analysis of
Justice
Department records, are worrisome to civil liberties groups and some legal
scholars. They say it is further evidence that the government has
compromised
the privacy rights of ordinary citizens without much to show for it.
The emphasis on spy programs also is starting to give pause to some
members of
Congress who fear the government is investing too much in anti-terrorism
programs at the expense of traditional crime-fighting. Other lawmakers are
raising questions about how well the FBI is performing its
counter-terrorism
mission.
The Senate Intelligence Committee last week concluded that the bureau was
far
behind in making internal changes to keep the nation safe from terrorist
threats. Lawmakers urged that the FBI set specific benchmarks to measure
its
progress and make more regular re****ts to Congress.
These concerns come as the Bush administration has been seeking to expand
its
ability to gather intelligence without prior court approval. It has asked
Congress for amendments to the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act
to
make it clear that eavesdropping on foreign telecommunications signals
routed
through the U.S. does not require a warrant.
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