Specter: In your response to my letter, you said no communications are intercepted unless it is determined that the party is a member of affiliated organization with AQ.
You represented to this committee that before there is an interc ecption that one of the parties is an agent or affiliate of AQ or terror organization?
Gonzales: I believe Gen. Hayden confirmed before there is an interception there is a determination made by an intel officer at NSA that we have reasonable grounds to believe one party of the communication is an agent of AQ or a terror organization.
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Specter: Is there any way you can assure us of that. That's an important statement. The concern is this program is a broad sweep of people who don't have affiliation with AQ.
Gonzales: The program is narrowly tailored and we have many checks in place. I'm told by the operations folks with a great degree of confidence and certainty that theses calls are solely international calls. We have career officers at NSA and they are the best at what they do and make judgment that someone is a member or affiliate of AQ.
The inspector general has been involved in this program.
Specter: I want to interrupt. We have contacted former AG Ashcroft about his avilability to testify. HE's considering it. I think his testimony would fall into a different line. Would you have objection to Ashcroft appearance before this committee?
Gonzales: I would not. I'm conveying to this committee that the Exec. Branch is.
Specter: That's all we'd ask him about.