Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : My House -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (4786)	2/7/2003 7:34:54 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Respond to of 7689

AH! That was GOOOOOOD! :-)

To: TimF who wrote (4786)	2/8/2003 9:06:58 PM
From: Lazarus_Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 7689

US prepares to widen surveillance powers By Edward Alden in WashingtonPublished: February 8 2003 0:46 \| Last Updated: February 8 2003 0:46 The US Justice department is drafting legislation that would strengthen the already sweeping powers granted by the USA Patriot Act to help law enforcement officials to track down suspected terrorists inside the US. Advertisement A confidential draft of the bill, entitled the Domestic Security Enchancement Act of 2003, was obtained by the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington watchdog group, and published on Friday night on its website. The proposed legislation, dated January 9, would end an array of court-ordered restraints that prevent local police forces from spying on domestic groups or individuals suspected of terrorist activities. Several large urban police forces - including New York City - entered into consent decrees with the courts in the 1970s and 1980s following revelations that police had abused their powers to monitor civil rights groups and other politically suspect organisations. Among other provisions, the draft bill would further enhance the powers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by granting the attorney-general wartime powers to undertake electronic surveillance and physical searches in the US based on intelligence information gathered abroad, without first gaining a court order. It would also automatically deny bail for anyone accused of a terrorist-related crime, and would bar the release of any information, including names, of individuals detained in terrorism investigations, for fear of tipping off co-conspirators. The USA Patriot Act, passed in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks, broke down many of the barriers that prevented US intelligence agencies from sharing their findings with the FBI and other police agencies. It also increased federal powers to launch criminal investigations based on that intelligence information. Civil liberties groups have strongly criticised the bill for eroding a series of legal barriers that limited the powers of the police to spy on Americans suspected of subversive activities. But John Ashcroft, attorney-general, had made clear his intention to enhance those powers further to help prosecute the war on terrorism more effectively. The draft bill has already been sent to Dennis Hastert, the House speaker, and toDick Cheney, US vice-president, according to a document obtained by the group. Barbara Comstock, a Justice department spokeswoman, said in a statement on Friday that "we are continually considering anti-terrorism measures and would be derelict if we were not doing so." But she said that no proposals had been finalised and that "the department's deliberations are always undertaken with the strongest commitment to our constitution and civil liberties." news.ft.com ============================================================ ============================================================ ============================================================ Being no fan of the Patriot Act, I find that rather disturbing.