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Surveillance and Wiretapping Under the Patriot II Act Some conservative groups are finding common ground with organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, expressing concerns about the effect that the USA Patriot Act and the follow-up law, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act (a.k.a. “Patriot II”), could have on civil liberties. Liberal critics have directed much of their worry at what they saw as an attack on immigrants' rights in the Patriot Act, the massive measure that was passed as the country was reeling from the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Now, right-leaning...

<p>WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice needs expanded powers to fight terrorism more effectively, say Bush administration officials, but many in Congress are already rethinking the Patriot Act (search) and are hesitant to widen government powers.</p> <p>"The more people are informed of the Patriot Act, the more concerned they are,” said Mark Warbis, a spokesman for Rep. Butch Otter, R-Idaho, (search) one of the most vocal opponents of the Patriot Act.</p>

<p>The Bush administration wants to bring to the war on terror a subpoena power that does not require federal investigators to seek approval from a judge or grand jury.</p> <p>Justice Department officials say use of "administrative subpoenas" would enable the FBI to obtain information that might prevent a terror strike more quickly from records or witnesses. Critics say the extension of power is unnecessary and would permit investigations with no judicial supervision.</p>

<p>President Bush's call for expanded antiterrorism powers, dubbed "Patriot II" by some, got a lukewarm response on Capitol Hill yesterday from both sides of the aisle.</p> <p>Democrats say the administration is trying to pass the contentious "Patriot II" piecemeal, and Republican lawmakers vocally opposed to expanding the original legislation mostly are mum on the matter.</p>

Curbing Big BrotherChristians urge Ashcroft to respect freedom in surveillance law.Tony Carnes in Washington | posted 08/15/2003 Both Christian conservatives and liberals are worried that proposed legislation to expand the surveillance powers of the federal government could undermine religious liberty. Responding to their concerns, Attorney General John Ashcroft says he is seeking the right balance between freedom and security in the post-9/11 world. After September 11, 2001, President Bush and Ashcroft shifted the Department of Justice's goal from prosecuting terrorists to preventing terrorism. "It's a fundamental and unprecedented shift," Viet Dinh, a former assistant attorney general who teaches at the...

In the aftershock of September 11 2001, there is a greater awareness among most Americans of how precious their freedom is. They also realise the need for better government intelligence work to fight terrorism. But they should not let the government usurp basic liberties. This is a danger as more and more anti-terrorist laws and rules strait-jacket the nation. There is a congruent danger: the rise of neo-conservatism on the right. The movement is using the threat of terrorism to expand government at home and abroad. America must safeguard its freedoms in the fight against terrorism, but protect itself from...

The opposite ends of the political spectrum are coming together over the war on terror, but not in the way Attorney General John Ashcroft may have wanted. Some conservative groups are finding common ground with organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Bill of Rights Defense Council, expressing concerns about the effect that the USA Patriot Act and a possible follow-up law, the Domestic Security Enhancement Act, could have on civil liberties. Liberal critics have directed much of their worry at what they saw as an attack on immigrants' rights in the Patriot Act, the massive measure...