U.S. Terror Agency To Tap Citizen Files

[naaman fletcher]

Source: Wall Street Journal via yahoo

The rules now allow the little-known National Counterterrorism Center to examine the government files of U.S. citizens for possible criminal behavior, even if there is no reason to suspect them. That is a departure from past practice, which barred the agency from storing information about ordinary Americans unless a person was a terror suspect or related to an investigation.

Now, NCTC can copy entire government databases—flight records, casino-employee lists, the names of Americans hosting foreign-exchange students and many others. The agency has new authority to keep data about innocent U.S. citizens for up to five years, and to analyze it for suspicious patterns of behavior. Previously, both were prohibited.

The changes also allow databases of U.S. civilian information to be given to foreign governments for analysis of their own. In effect, U.S. and foreign governments would be using the information to look for clues that people might commit future crimes.

Read more: http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/u-terror-agency-tap-citizen-034700666.html

---

ugh

[niyad]

1. no words--only because I cannot write what I am really thinking--agent mikey would have

a coronary.

[RKP5637]

5. More and more the US is resembling the regimes of WWII. n/t

[AnotherMcIntosh]

2. Spy on US citizens and give the information to foreign countries. What could possibly go wrong?

[RKP5637]

3. Well, they should have a ball analyzing our posts on DU. n/t

[byeya]

4. Thanks Obama

[RKP5637]

7. Transparency ... yep ... n/t

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Hold on now.

This article doesn't reveal Obama's position on this issue. These agencies have some leeway to make these changes, and the President may yet offer a contrary opinion. Just because Obama asked for a review of the rules and procedures, does not necessarily prove he approved of or endorses this change.

It also doesn't mean he won't try and constrain these searches and comparisons, either.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. Actually, "the rules " were already signed by the Justice Dept.

And the only other decision to be made will be HOW the rules are applied and to whom.
so the Pres. was either not involved or was ok with the plan.

Last paragraph in the article:

"Once the terms are set, Homeland Security is likely to post a notice in the Federal Register. The public can submit comments to the Federal Register about proposed changes, although Homeland Security isn't required to make changes based on the comments. "

Notably, the 2 key people from the Justice Dept and Homeland Security who were concerned about this plan, are now gone,:
"

This year, Ms. Callahan left Homeland Security for private practice, and Ms. Libin left the Justice Department to join a private firm."

article does not say whose idea it was for them to leave.
It would be nice if it turns out they resigned in protest.

[villager]

6. "Change" we can believe in.

Which is to say, we have to believe -- to face up -- to the fact this is happening, and both parties are selling us out.

[rachel1]

27. +1

[SamKnause]

8. U.S. Terror

It is a dam shame when the country you live in thinks every citizen is a terrorist.

I am so ashamed and embarrassed with our government and the military brass.

The war on terror is being fought against the citizens of this country and is using our enlisted men and women as pawns the world over.

The entire Bush administration and Obama administration should be in jail serving life sentences.

[jsr]

10. If you are not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Am I the only one who is thinking

1. Like hell they will keep the records "only" five years.*
2. This has been going on for a long time and only now are they codifying it with some rule/law.


*Telecommunications companies and social sites have gotten into trouble for not purging data within their claimed time frame.

[bananas]

14. Bazinga! nt

[Hydra]

19. Oh ya, this has been standard practice in the shadows

Last edited Thu Dec 13, 2012, 04:41 PM - Edit history (2)

They're just announcing that it's legal now, so no complaining.

I don't know why they bother with all of this BS though- very few people complained when Jose Padilla was held without credible charge and tortured out of his mind simply to see if they could get away with it.

If they did it again I doubt anyone would even notice. Oh, wait, they did it to Bradley Manning too. Precedent set!

[RKP5637]

21. I keep thinking with all of the precedent set by Bush and Obama continuing, imagine how

quickly we'll be truly a despotic nation if a strong teabagger eventually assumes the presidency.

[dixiegrrrrl]

23. We seem to be moving in that direction no matter who is in office.

drone killings PLUS "double tap" drone killings
continued building of military bases around the world
Increased survelliance of citizens
TSA became much more invasive since 2008

[RKP5637]

24. It's all getting really really weird and frightening. n/t

[leveymg]

13. Are we already at war with Iran? If not, just wait for the crackdowns they have in store.

This has been going on for a decade, but is slowly be announced in little dribs and drabs so as not to disturb anyone's panic shopping.

It will eventually come out around the time the bombs start dropping on Beshehr that long ago they created profiles for each and every one of us with predictive indexes for US Citizens that will serve the basis for "counterterrorism" interviews and preventative detention. It's already become impossible to get a government job if you've been IDed as an activist. Just wait.

[limpyhobbler]

15. quickest way to end up on this watch list: complain about this watch list

[AAO]

16. Only one thing to say about that:

[triplepoint]

17. Some Pablum for NCTC

Echelon Keyword Generator:

http://www.bugbrother.com/echelon/spookwordsgenerator.html


Sample:

From: [e-mail]
To: [e-mail]
Subj: COBEOWEHHO (CLASSIFIED - Russia)

George J. Tenet, Director of Central Intelligence (CIA), told North Korea Reconnaissance Bureau about Mayotte (Indian Ocean) frenchelon station : a cryptoanarchist sent EloAufkl (german Elektronische Aufklärung)`s web based CGI proxys & Anonymizers logs to Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA) a.k.a. Euzkadi Ta Askatasuna !

Ask 634th Military Intelligence`s contact of Vivendi Universal pollution Dpt via http://www.odci.gov/ic/ for Ref. Waihopai, INFOSEC, ASPIC, MI6, Information Security, SAI, Information Warfare.



---Post it all over the Net. Permanently monkey wrench Echelon altogether. It's the patriotic thing to do.
.
.
.

.

[leveymg]

22. You could write the plot outline for a best-seller spy novel on that Keyword Generator. ;-)

Probably makes as much sense as any Ludlum novel.

[Solly Mack]

18. K&R

[blkmusclmachine]

20. Police State

Your papers, ma'am.

.

Operation Northwoods: The 9/11 You Never Knew

[dixiegrrrrl]

25. Well, seeing as how you are so polite and call me "Ma'am"

here they are.

[IMG][/IMG]

[Turbineguy]

26. On the face of it, this could be bad.

On the other hand, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and their ilk are in the pool.

[trouble.smith]

28. "The changes also allow databases of U.S. civilian information to be given to foreign governments"

changes you can believe in.