NYT: Bush Secretly Lifted Some Limits on Spying in U.S. After 9/11, Officials Say

New York Times ^ | December 15, 2005 | JAMES RISEN and ERIC LICHTBLAUD

[West Coast Conservative]

Months after the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States to search for evidence of terrorist activity without the court-approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying, according to government officials.

Under a presidential order signed in 2002, the intelligence agency has monitored the international telephone calls and international e-mail messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without warrants over the past three years in an effort to track possible "dirty numbers" linked to Al Qaeda, the officials said. The agency, they said, still seeks warrants to monitor entirely domestic communications.

The previously undisclosed decision to permit some eavesdropping inside the country without court approval represents a major shift in American intelligence-gathering practices, particularly for the National Security Agency, whose mission is to spy on communications abroad. As a result, some officials familiar with the continuing operation have questioned whether the surveillance has stretched, if not crossed, constitutional limits on legal searches.

"This is really a sea change," said a former senior official who specializes in national security law. "It's almost a mainstay of this country that the N.S.A. only does foreign searches."

Nearly a dozen current and former officials, who were granted anonymity because of the classified nature of the program, discussed it with reporters for The New York Times because of their concerns about the operation's legality and oversight.

According to those officials and others, reservations about aspects of the program have also been expressed by Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, the West Virginia Democrat who is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and a judge presiding over a secret court that oversees intelligence matters.

[paudio]

While there should be limit, it's crazy if he didn't do that after 9/11.

[Tarpon]

Is there a second source? After the fake ballots went up in flames, I don't consider the NY Times a credible news source.

[tet68]

Nearly a dozen current and former officials, who were granted anonymity because of the classified nature of the program, discussed it with reporters for The New York Times because of their concerns about the operation's legality and oversight.

Granted anonymity by who? The NYT?
These fifth columnists need to be hung for their "concerns"
that out weigh national security.

[Gordongekko909]

The NYT talks about that like it's a bad thing.

[tet68]

Oh, Well done Mr. President, it's good to see you are up
to the demands of this war.

[Dog]

Nearly a dozen current and former officials, who were granted anonymity because of the classified nature of the program, discussed it with reporters for The New York Times because of their concerns about the operation's legality and oversight.

Another freaking leak..

[hgro]

Lets hope the National Security Agency has an agent embeded in the NYT newsroom. There is a pony in that pile of manure.

[Perdogg]

Good. I like Bush even more.

[TBall]

If Clinton can issue an EO to keep Navy divers quiet about flight 800, Bush can certainly issue an EO to stop terrorist who want to kill innocent civilians.

[Pukin Dog]

Someone should ask the bastards at the Times if they like the fact that we have not been attacked again.

My guess is they don't like it at all.

[Gordongekko909]

Leak nothing. "Anonymous source" = fake story. Nowadays the MSM even gets weather reports from anonymous sources.

[MJY1288]

If he didn't, he would be negligent

[tet68]

Let's see,

Government officials,some officials familiar with the continuing operation , a former senior official who specializes in national security law. ,Nearly a dozen current and former officials,a judge presiding over a secret court....

Oh yes, I'm over come with gratitude to these faceless,
nameless, unverifiable testimonials and hearsay.

The old grey whore ain't what she used to be.

[Miss Marple]

One of the drawbacks of living in the Midwest is that I will have no opportunity to run across a Times reporter and give him a good talking-to. These guys are so insulated that they don't realize the contempt most of us have for them.

And by the way, I think we need to know the names of these anonymous sources.

[VOA]

NYT: Bush Secretly Lifted Some Limits on Spying in U.S. After 9/11, Officials Say

Finally, a positive story on President Bush from the MSM.
And the folks at the New York Times don't even realize they've
just given Dubya a likely boost in the polls.

[technomage]

Nearly a dozen current and former officials, who were granted anonymity because of the classified nature of the program, discussed it with reporters for The New York Times because of their concerns about the operation's legality and oversight.

And, of course, the NY Slimes believes these people (if they exist) with no proof. Personally, I do not think these people exist. It is the Slimes after all.

[Dr. Free Market]

Yaaaaawwwwwn!!!

[denydenydeny]

More treasonous leaks from the intelligence agencies.

[Triple]

I'm impressed you have been paying close attention.
Regards