Wider FBI power concerns lawmakers

Wider FBI power concerns lawmakers
Fri, 22 Aug 2008 01:52:17 GMT
US lawmakers have expressed concern about new guidelines for FBI investigations because it may contradict First Amendment activities.

"We are particularly concerned that the draft guidelines might permit an innocent American to be subjected to such intrusive surveillance based in part on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, or on protected First Amendment activities," said the letter addressed to Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

In it, the four Democratic senators -- Russ Feingold (Wisconsin), Ted Kennedy (Massachusetts), Richard Durbin (Illinois) and Sheldon Whitehouse (Rhode Island) -- urged the Justice Department to wait until experts and legislators could provide input on the proposed changes.

The proposed guidelines would "permit the FBI to use a variety of intrusive investigative techniques to conduct 'assessments' of possible criminal activity, national security threats or foreign intelligence collection -- without any initial factual predication," the senators wrote.

The law proposed by the Department of Justice would permit local and state cops to gather intelligence on police suspicion, not evidence, keep it secret for up to 10 years, and share it with the federal government.

The draft has mounted fears among American activists as it gives the US police the go-ahead to stake out antiwar groups or people who the cops might deem as threats.

SG/HAR

makes my stomach turn....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by texas grass

The draft has mounted fears among American activists as it gives the US police the go-ahead to stake out antiwar groups or people who the cops might deem as threats.

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Now I'm NOT saying that this is right but hasn't this been a practice since the 50's. Maybe even the WW2 era? Big brother IS watching!!

Have a good one!:s4:

Alot of private companies are making a lot of money by doing this same thing. I don't like government operating under the assumption that everyone is guilty of some crime till proven innocent.

UPSA here we come! (p stands for police, rest is USA)

um yeah, they kinda have been doin this all this time, but this will just make the narrow, dark path with many legal complications for them to do such things into a toll-free 5 lane highway!

i mean come on, they are only making official what has been secret methods for years! without a single respect for individuals' rights or the constitution, after 9/11 it has just become clear to me the US constitution is kind of history only, in practice nothing can protect us, Patriot act rings a bell?

here is the most recent thing about this mess, who is in charge and what is the exact role of our supposed rules and laws in this? i have no clue! i doubt any1 has, probably this is a new system being implemented step by step and slowly and rules and regulations are also shifting to fit with it! with or without congress and people's consent!

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