1,600 are suggested daily for FBI’s list

The Washington Post reports that during a 12-month period ended in March this year, the US intelligence community suggested on a daily basis that 1,600 people qualified for the terrorist watch list because they presented a “reasonable suspicion,” according to data provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee by the FBI in September and made public [...]

Project on Government Oversight issues new handbook

“The Art of Congressional Oversight: A User’s Guide to Doing It Right.”

Senate committee approves reauthorization of expiring Patriot Act provisions, Supreme Court to review provisons

The US Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-8 at Thursday’s executive business meeting to approve legislation [S 1692] reauthorizing three provisions of the USA Patriot Act set to expire at the end of the year. The portions of the act to be renewed allow federal authorities to conduct “roving” wiretaps, compel the production of business, medical [...]

Pakistan amends anti-terror laws

The government of Pakistan has amended its anti-terrorism laws to increase the remand period for the interrogation of terror suspects from 30 to 90 days.
Correspondents say that the move is one of the conditions of a recent bill passed by the US Congress which triples non-military aid to Pakistan. The Kerry-Lugar bill provides an annual [...]

Remarks by President Obama at the National Counterterrorism Center

Read the speech here. Excerpts:
But I wanted to come here today and take a few minutes just to deliver a simple message – and Idelivered it inside, and that is the message of thanks. (…)
Your professionalism is essential to protecting this country. (…)
Because of you, and all the organizations you represent, we’re making [...]

Intelligence community legal reference book

The US Office of the Director of National Intelligence has declassified its Intelligence Community Legal Reference Book from which the US intelligence community ‘draws much of its authority and guidance’. Download the 949 pages here.

Zazi pleads not guilty on conspiracy charges in US homegrown terrorism case

Najibullah Zazi, a legal permanent resident of the United States from Afghanistan, was indicted in the Eastern District of New York on a charge of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction (explosive bombs) against persons or property in the United States. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Zazi is currently detained without bail.
That [...]

US spent 75 billion on intelligence last year, releases 2009

The United States spent $75 billion over the past year to finance worldwide intelligence operations for all 16 civilian and military intelligence agenciesthat employ 200,000 people, according to an unprecedented disclosure by Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair. Blair revealed the number before presenting the 2009 intelligence strategy to the public. More info here.
Open [...]

US ‘new’ internal state secrecy policy offers no judicial review

On the 23d of September the Department of Justice released its long-awaited “new” policy on the state secrets privilege, which the government uses in litigation to withhold evidence when it believes that disclosure would harm national security. This policy came out of the order from Attorney General Holder that the Department of Justice review all [...]

Current wiretapping discussions in the US: the Patriot Act extensions, the Justice Bill and Leahy’s proposal

A US Department of Justice (DOJ) official told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that the Obama administration supports the reauthorization of two provisions of the USA Patriot Act and one provision of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 set to expire at the end of the year. Assistant Attorney General for National [...]