FBI Chief Cites Worldwide Intel

AP on Yahoo ^ | 1/26/06 | Edith M. Lederer - ap

[NormsRevenge]

DAVOS, Switzerland - FBI director Robert Mueller said Thursday the United States now acts on intelligence from any place in the world to fight terrorism but has not sacrificed individuals' rights to privacy in that effort.

However, during an interview with The Associated Press, Mueller would not discuss renditions, the practice of covertly moving imprisoned terrorist suspects between countries outside normal legal processes.

He also would not elaborate on the National Security Agency's listening without a warrant to telephone calls in the United States that Bush administration officials believe involve al-Qaida terrorists.

Lawmakers from both parties have questioned whether it is legal for the government to listen to conversations in the United States without a warrant that the administration could get through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

But Mueller said the goal of gathering intelligence in the war against terrorism was to prevent attacks and not just prosecute cases.

"For us, it is not just having a terrorist event happening and then gathering the evidence to put it in a courtroom to convict somebody after we're able to identify him, detain him and extradite him," Mueller said.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the FBI chief said, U.S. officials have recognized the importance of using all information to determine "who intends to hurt the United States or the United States' interests around the world."

"We are doing a much better job at integrating that intelligence and acting on that intelligence any place in the world," he said.

The FBI is now working closely with the CIA and exchanging information with the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency and counterparts in other countries.

"For us, it's taking the information domestically, integrating it with what we know from the other intelligence agencies in the U.S., and integrating it with intelligence from our counterparts from overseas to get a fuller picture of what the enemy intends, in this case al-Qaida," he said.

Mueller vehemently denied that the United States was giving up the right to privacy in exchange for security.

"In no way, shape, or form do I think we've given up our rights," he said. "But I do think there's an appropriate balance with the threat that we have."

While not mentioning renditions or electronic eavesdropping, the FBI chief said "there are a number of programs — I'm not going to talk about specific programs — that have been helpful to securing the United States."

Four leading Democratic senators sent President Bush a letter Wednesday saying the NSA program is an "apparent violation of federal law" — namely getting a warrant from the surveillance court to eavesdrop domestically.

The letter said that if Bush or his administration believed the law "does not give you enough authority to combat terrorism, you should propose changes in the law to Congress. You may not disregard the law."

The letter was written Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

[NormsRevenge]

Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller gestures while speaking during a plenary entitled 'Global Risks 2006: What Keeps You Up at Night' at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday Jan. 26, 2006. The second day of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting promised a blend of celebrity and brass tacks talk of the issues facing the global community, ranging from security against terror to advancing human rights and the struggle against poverty and disease. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

[NormsRevenge]

'Global Risks 2006: What Keeps You Up at Night' ?

:-\

[NormsRevenge]

A.

Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.


:-|

[NormsRevenge]

Mr. "Dynamic" was there too. :)

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff gestures while speaking during a plenary entitled 'Global Risks 2006: What Keeps You Up at Night' at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday Jan. 26, 2006. The second day of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting promised a blend of celebrity and brass tacks talk of the issues facing the global community, ranging from security against terror to advancing human rights and the struggle against poverty and disease. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)

[NormsRevenge]

and..

Irish singer Bono smiles during the launch of the new American Express 'Red Card' at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2006. (Sebastian Derungs/Reuters)

---

The "Red Card" ? Don't leave the homeland without it.

[ASA Vet]

MI Ping

[Erik Latranyi]

Lawmakers from both parties have questioned whether it is legal for the government to listen to conversations in the United States without a warrant...

This is an example of how the press is trying to make the public think that the wiretaps are on domestic phone calls rather than international phone calls with one part in the US.

[YOUGOTIT]

A Terrorist has NO Rights and should be immediately eliminated from the face of the earth.

[BIGLOOK]

The libs are trying to find out if the light inside the refrigerator stays on when the door is closed.


Of course it does!