Patriot Act, FBI.James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Barry Goldwater,
FBI Director: Intelligence Will Have to Use 'Lone Wolf' Provision (CQ, 10/6/11)
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III told Congress last week that two controversial provisions in the 2001 anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act will be especially important for adapting to the threat of domestic radicalization and the challenges of a wireless communications world. Both Mueller and Matthew G. Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told the House Select Intelligence Committee that U.S. citizens and residents, inspired by groups like al Qaeda but lacking any actual contacts that intelligence agencies could track, present a serious national security threat.
"That is probably the greatest challenge that we face," Olsen said.
For such instances of so-called lone wolf attackers, the Patriot Act included a provision that allows investigators to apply to a special court for surveillance orders on suspects who are not connected to any terrorism organization. The language is one of three provisions within the law that lack
permanent authorization Congress passed ( PL 112-3 ) a four-year extension for the language, which faced opposition from civil liberties groups, in May.
All men having power ought to be mistrusted.--James Madison
Mueller told the panel that the FBI hasn't used the lone-wolf provision, but predicted that will change.
I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations. -- James Madison
"My expectation is that we will need it in the future," as Internet-driven radicalization grows, he said, adding that the provision would be instrumental for investigating foreigners -- not American citizens -- with no formal connections to terrorist groups.
The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home. - James Madison
The FBI director also said his agency has found the "roving wiretap" provision essential. The language allows investigators to obtain wiretap orders attached to particular individuals who may switch modes of communication, rather than specific phone lines.
"In this day and age where you can dispose of cell phones and SIM cards within a matter of minutes, change numbers and the like, it's essential to be able to swiftly move to the new number as opposed to having to draft another application and go back to a court," he said.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.--James Madison
However, he said digital communications still present a challenge unmet by surveillance law, with iPhones, Android phones and other smart mobile devices that can communicate using e-mail and multiple texting formats that their communications carriers might not track. Court orders to obtain communications instruct carriers to turn over information from phones and other devices. But, Mueller said, given the proliferation of formats, carriers in some cases may simply lack the ability to respond to those orders.
"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."- Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President Source: Letter, 23 December 1791 http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Thomas.Jefferson.Quote.58AC
"What we need to do is look at mechanisms to ensure that when a court issues an order directing that conversations or communications be collected by the carrier and turned over to the federal government, that there is the capability by that carrier to be responsive," he said.
Federal officials have been discussing legislative proposals for Congress, he said.
Rob Margetta can be reached at rmargetta@cq.com
Reference - accessed on 14 Oct 2011
More at http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20111006/pl_cq_politics/politics000003958086
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-- Barry Goldwater
(1909-1998) US Senator (R-Arizona) http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Barry.Goldwater.Quote.4136
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III told Congress last week that two controversial provisions in the 2001 anti-terrorism law known as the Patriot Act will be especially important for adapting to the threat of domestic radicalization and the challenges of a wireless communications world. Both Mueller and Matthew G. Olsen, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, told the House Select Intelligence Committee that U.S. citizens and residents, inspired by groups like al Qaeda but lacking any actual contacts that intelligence agencies could track, present a serious national security threat.
"That is probably the greatest challenge that we face," Olsen said.
For such instances of so-called lone wolf attackers, the Patriot Act included a provision that allows investigators to apply to a special court for surveillance orders on suspects who are not connected to any terrorism organization. The language is one of three provisions within the law that lack
permanent authorization Congress passed ( PL 112-3 ) a four-year extension for the language, which faced opposition from civil liberties groups, in May.
All men having power ought to be mistrusted.--James Madison
Mueller told the panel that the FBI hasn't used the lone-wolf provision, but predicted that will change.
I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations. -- James Madison
"My expectation is that we will need it in the future," as Internet-driven radicalization grows, he said, adding that the provision would be instrumental for investigating foreigners -- not American citizens -- with no formal connections to terrorist groups.
The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home. - James Madison
The FBI director also said his agency has found the "roving wiretap" provision essential. The language allows investigators to obtain wiretap orders attached to particular individuals who may switch modes of communication, rather than specific phone lines.
"In this day and age where you can dispose of cell phones and SIM cards within a matter of minutes, change numbers and the like, it's essential to be able to swiftly move to the new number as opposed to having to draft another application and go back to a court," he said.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.--James Madison
However, he said digital communications still present a challenge unmet by surveillance law, with iPhones, Android phones and other smart mobile devices that can communicate using e-mail and multiple texting formats that their communications carriers might not track. Court orders to obtain communications instruct carriers to turn over information from phones and other devices. But, Mueller said, given the proliferation of formats, carriers in some cases may simply lack the ability to respond to those orders.
"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."- Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President Source: Letter, 23 December 1791 http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Thomas.Jefferson.Quote.58AC
"What we need to do is look at mechanisms to ensure that when a court issues an order directing that conversations or communications be collected by the carrier and turned over to the federal government, that there is the capability by that carrier to be responsive," he said.
Federal officials have been discussing legislative proposals for Congress, he said.
Rob Margetta can be reached at rmargetta@cq.com
Reference - accessed on 14 Oct 2011
More at http://old.news.yahoo.
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"How did it happen? How did our national government grow from a servant with sharply limited powers into a master with virtually unlimited power? In part, we were swindled. There are occasions when we have elevated men and political parties to power that promised to restore limited government and then proceeded, after their election, to expand the activities of government. But let us be honest with ourselves. Broken promises are not the major causes of our trouble. Kept promises are. All too often we have put men in office who have suggested spending a little more on this, a little more on that, who have proposed a new welfare program, who have thought of another variety of 'security.' We have taken the bait, preferring to put off to another day the recapture of freedom and the restoration of our constitutional system. We have gone the way of many a democratic society that has lost its freedom by persuading itself that if 'the people' rule, all is well."
-- Barry Goldwater
(1909-1998) US Senator (R-Arizona) http://quotes.liberty-tree.ca/quote_blog/Barry.Goldwater.Quote.4136
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