by Mark Silva
Five inspectors general at sensitive agencies are at work on a review of the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance of people suspected of communicating with possible terrorist - their report due in July.
When Congress amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act last year, it required that several inspectors general of agencies that participated in the Bush Administration's disputed, so-called "Terrorist Surveillance Program '' undertake a sweeping review of the eavesdropping of domestic phone and Internet communications with people abroad that was authorized outside of the purview of the special FISA courts that were established to monitor domestic surveillance.
The final report is to address "all of the facts necessary to describe the establishment, implementation, product, and use of the product of the program," among other things. It "will include both unclassified and classified volumes."
An interim report, albeit just three pages, that was completed in November has just been released at the request of Secrecy News. '' The three-page letter report does not present any new findings, but rather lays out the scope of the ongoing review,'' Secrecy News' Steven Aftergood reports.
"The subject matter of the review ranges widely from legal assessments of the Program (Department of Justice) to its technical operation (National Security Agency) to communications with private-sector entities concerning the Program (Office of Director of National Intelligence)) to the involvement of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (DoD) and the threat assessments supporting reauthorization of the program (CIA).''
The auditors note that: "The NSA IG's review will examine the evolution of the presidential authorization as it affected NSA, the technical operation of the program, the preparation and dissemination of the product of the Program, and communications with and representations made to private sector entities.''
The report will contain both classified and unclassified volumes.
It should make for good reading.
Comments
Oh please, please spy on me Big Brother. Save me from the all powerful terrorists. We all know a democracy cannot possibly beat theocratic terrorists without violating the rights of it's citizens. We know that tyranny beats liberty every time, so please use the tools of tyranny to protect me. I'm soo so scared. I'd never sacrifice my life for freedom, so just make me safe!!!!!!
Posted by: Cowardly Republican | March 31, 2009 2:58 PM
Dare Obama to stop the surveillance and let's see what will happen.
Double dare, him.
Posted by: Harv | March 31, 2009 3:28 PM
Intn'l War Crimes Prosecutions for Bushie Republicans? - Yes They Can!
The NYTimes has just published a story announcing that "a high-level Spanish court has taken the first steps toward opening a criminal investigation against six former Bushie Republican administration officials, including former Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, on whether they violated international law by providing a legalistic framework to justify the use of torture of American prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, an official close to the case said.
The six Bushie Republicans, according the account, are Gonzo, Feith, Addington, Haynes, Bybee, and Yoo. A very good place to start. The investigative judge who has referred the case to the prosecutor is the same courageous man who indicted Pinochet.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/29/world/europe/29spain.html?_r=1&hp
Posted by: Imprison the Republican War Criminals | March 31, 2009 3:29 PM
If any readers have questions about the extent of the Bush domestic spying program, here's a fascinating episode of Frontline, which is free online and chock full of information:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | March 31, 2009 5:44 PM