Ashcroft Seeking to Free F.B.I. to Spy on Groups

NYTimes.com ^ | 11/30/2001 | David Johnston and Don Van Natta Jr.

[Dan from Michigan]

Add a little sneak and peak searches under the "UNpatriotic ACT", and a bunch of anti-4th amendment grabs, and bye bye constitution.

Who said they are just going to go after 'foreign terrorists?". What if pro-life groups, pro-gun groups, and FR will be called terrorists.

I judge every proposal like the worst people in the world are going to enforce it.

This reminds me of 1928 Germany. Bush/Ashcroft are the Wiemar Republic. Then there is 2004, and whoever wins there(I have no idea who) will have all these powers. Do you want John Edwards with this power?

[Amerigomag]

I have by-in-large supported the administrations' recent proposals regarding "terrorist" but this one is troubling.

The following is the traditon: the F.B.I. cannot send undercover agents to investigate groups that gather at places like mosques or churches unless investigators first find probable cause, or evidence leading them to believe that someone in the group may have broken the law

This is the new reasoning: Since Sept. 11, investigators have said, Islamic militants have sometimes met at mosques — apparently knowing that the religious institutions are usually off limits to F.B.I. surveillance squads. Some officials are now saying they need broader authority to conduct surveillance of potential terrorists, no matter where they are.

It seems obvious that if someone is an "Islamic militant" that needs to be watched there is obviously "probable cause" to do so. Why would you need the new "relaxation" unless you just wanted to keep tabs on those that don't politically agree with you.

I smell a hidden agenda here and am concerned.

[Dan from Michigan]

Dan, have you turned pus*y like the rest of this crowd?

No, I'm standing my ground. I ripped Klinton and Reno for trying for this in May of 2000, and I'm ripping on Janet Ashcroft for the same thing. Those that trade liberty for security deserve neither. I don't trust Ashcroft. I don't trust power. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Ashcroft is returning the FBI to its Hoover status,

I agree. That's not a good thing.

[jammer]

Damn, Dan. Couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks.

BTW, I'm not certain that Ashcroft is evil--the evidence is mounting, however. I think he's dumb.

[Dan from Michigan]

FDR. The worst president in American History.

[sheltonmac]

"I have said it before: My prediction is that this "Anti-Terrorism" Legistlation stuff is going to be used against the militia groups first, then, someday, against 2nd Amd defenders."

And don't forget pro-life groups. Any organization that could somehow be even remotely linked to the "terrorist bombing" of an abortion clinic will be suspect.

[KQQL]

He is a moron and needs to be fired asap.
I think he wants more power than the Nazi had.

Time to email the GOP to tell them stop the Police State.

[Jean S]

There are a lot of people jumping to a whole lot of conclusions because Don Van Natta told them too.

[jammer]

Better duck! Here comes Fred25 and the rest of the G-Men.

[sheltonmac]

BUMP (Sorry for any repeat pinging.)

[Dan from Michigan]

I don't think he's evil. I think he's a yesman. He's changed an AWFUL lot from his senate days.

I hold W just as responsible, and I voted for him. I still don't regret that vote because Gore would have been worse, but I don't know who I'm backing in 2004 though.

[Enlightiator]

This article is much ado about nothing, the fact that we are talking about relaxing administrative guidelines for foreign "visitors" who may be undertaking terrorist activities makes sense to me. The is really just another example of the FBI senior level incompetence and whininess, as evidenced by the following snippet from the article:

Many F.B.I. officials regard the administration's plan to establish military tribunals as an extreme step that diminishes the F.B.I.'s role because it creates a separate prosecutorial system run by the military.

Now what the heck are the FBI "officials" commenting on the use or non-use of military tribunals? Its not their decision and their input is irrelavent, this is up to the President and the Department of Justice, not the FBI.

[Fred Mertz]

"Director Mueller's view is that everything should be on the table for review," the spokesman, John Collingwood, said.

Oh great, now the feds are targeting the churches.

[Dan from Michigan]

More like Tom Dashale and George W Bush told me to...when THEY WROTE the unpatriotic ACT.

[KQQL]

Ashroft wants the US to become a police state.

What a shame this is being done under a GOP adminstration.

If Reno did , we all would have cried foul.

Time to write to eveyone and tell them to stop taking our rights away......

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Ashcroft is returning the FBI to its Hoover status, and away from the good-ole-boy-we'll-do-whatever-the-hell-we-want cowboys that have been in charge for the last ten years.

Ah, excuse me. What do you think Hoover did?