More receiving top secret clearance from FBI for terrorism cases

[maddezmom]

Source: USA Today

More state and local law enforcement officers are getting top-secret clearances from the FBI to access sensitive federal information in terrorism cases than at anytime since the Sept. 11 attacks, a USA TODAY review of bureau records shows.
Clearances granted to members of the FBI's network of regional terrorism task forces jumped to 878 in 2009, up from 125 in 2007, signaling intensified attention to domestic terror threats. During the same period, clearances granted to other law enforcement officers and contractors soared to 945 from 364.

As of last month, the number of clearances this year were on pace to equal or surpass last year's totals, with 557 granted to task force members and 587 to other officers.

Police officials said the clearance program, once widely criticized as slow to provide access to key information about emerging threats and terror investigations, has added needed intelligence to recent terror inquiries from Colorado to New York.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-12-secret-clearances_N.htm

[OnyxCollie]

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