ACLU questions Army unit’s NorthCom role

[unhappycamper]

ACLU questions Army unit’s NorthCom role
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 5:55:42 EDT

The American Civil Liberties Union is questioning the use of an active Army brigade as an on-call federal response force within the U.S., arguing that the military is barred from any role in civilian law enforcement and that the force could be used to help the Pentagon conduct domestic surveillance.

The ACLU filed Freedom of Information Act requests Tuesday with the Pentagon and Department of Justice asking for “any and all records” related to the decision to align the unit under U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for homeland defense of the U.S., and the “ongoing and possible use” of the unit, “including but not limited to contemplated functions; duties; surveillance activities; and relationship to existing civilian agencies or personnel or the National Guard.”

The ACLU FOIA request cites a Sept. 30 Army Times online story, “3rd Infantry’s 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission,” and a U.S. Army North news release, as its sources for the information.

The brigade combat team is spending its 12-month “dwell time” period, which began Oct. 1 following 15 months in Iraq that ended in April, as NorthCom’s CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive) Consequence Management Response Force. In addition to terrorist attacks, the team will also get tapped to respond to natural or manmade emergencies and disasters.

Active-duty units have previously been deployed within U.S. borders, most recently along the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of 2005’s Hurricane Katrina.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_aclu_northcom_102108w/%2e