That is completely different from our own military spying and collecting data on US citizens, which I believe is illegal.
Once upon a time, the Attorney General didn't have sufficient assets to keep track of the burgeoning left-wing anti-war element in the country. POTUS was PO'd; ordered SecDef to loan AG counterintelligence and CID personnel to work alongside FBI and other Fed LEO in surveilance and occasionally infiltration of quasi-criminal "Peace" movement. This went on big-time until POTUS changed at next election.
The year was 1968. The POTUS was LBJ. SecDef was Clark Clifford. AG was RAMSEY CLARK.
Am I the only guy to remember this sh!t?
Yes, it is illegal.