FBI given broad authority to monitor churches, libraries, Internet, political parties

Associated Press / SFGate

[RCW2001]

TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, May 30, 2002
©2002 Associated Press

URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/05/30/national1450EDT0662.DTL

(05-30) 11:50 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --

The Justice Department sharply eased restrictions on domestic spying Thursday, handing the FBI broad, new authority to monitor Internet sites, libraries, churches and political organizations for clues to terrorist plots.

The changes were announced by Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller.

Ashcroft, claiming FBI agents in the field have been hampered by a range of bureaucratic restrictions, said the new guidelines would help them to do their jobs.

"These restrictions are a competitive advantage for terrorists," Ashcroft said of existing rules.

He said, for instance, that under present guidelines, FBI agents "cannot surf the Web, the way you and I can," and cannot simply walk into public events to observe people and activities.

The new guidelines give FBI agents more freedom to investigate terrorism even when they are not pursuing a particular case.

©2002 Associated Press  

[eFudd]

And the terrorist win another round.

[RCW2001]

More...

05-30) 12:04 PDT (AP) --

Asked whether the change would lead to a rollback of hard-won civil-liberties protections, Ashcroft said the powers would be used only "for the purpose of detecting and preventing terrorism."

"It's not to be abused for other purposes," he said.

Ashcroft said nothing in the guidelines would permit the FBI to routinely build files on people or organizations.

"The abuses that have been alleged about the FBI decades ago ... would not be allowed," he said, referring to the practice of keeping files and records on prominent figures.

The new rules allow agents to conduct "general topical research" and "pure surfing" designed to find Web sites, chat rooms or Internet bulletin boards with information about terror, bomb-making instructions, child pornography or stolen credit cards.

©2002 Associated Press  

[TADSLOS]

Ashcroft, claiming FBI agents in the field have been hampered by a range of bureaucratic restrictions, said the new guidelines would help them to do their jobs

It's only a partial solution. The career bureacrats in the DC office need to be replaced as well with some fresh faces from the field with energy and fresh ideas.

[Pearls Before Swine]

...and MOSQUES???? ...hint, hint...

[sinkspur]

"Churches" means "mosques." Already, the usual suspects, including John Conyers who represents a Muslim constituency, are squealing like stuck pigs.

[sinkspur]

"Churches" means "mosques." Already, the usual suspects, including John Conyers who represents a Muslim constituency, are squealing like stuck pigs.

[mlo]

And the terrorist win another round.

Funny, I don't think the terrorists would agree with you.

[Dimensio]

Yes, they would never abuse this authority. You can trust the FBI.

[freeeee]

COINTELPRO

[RCW2001]

Of course I'm sure we could spare an agenda or two to do 'pedophile watch' at a few of our Catholic institutions or 'anti-abortion terrorist watch' at some of our finer Baptist congregations...

[Native American Female Vet]

In Phoenix, We're Terrorists

[sheik yerbouty]

No Shi'ite!

[Snake65]

I feel safer already.(/sarcasm)

I can't wait for these new procedures to fall into the hands of the future Hillary Clinton administration.

[Poohbah]

I fail to see why the FBI would not be allowed to monitor Internet sites--such sites are publicly available information and have no expectation of privacy.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Already did. Remember the 900 FBI files ?

[tracer]

A cursory review of the Bill of Rights would reveal that such "authority" is not the DOJ's to give.....

[Snake65]

Oh that. Well they were in the experienced hands of Craig Livingstone, I presume. Don't worry, be happy.

[gdani]

COINTELPRO

Isn't it funny how everything from the 60s & 70s makes a comeback?