ATS: FBI Conducts Clandestine Surveillance of Citizens

FBI records that were recently released under the Freedom of Information Act in a lawsuit filed by David Sobel of the Electronic Privacy Information Center have revealed hundreds of possible violations regarding clandestine surveillance of citizens by the Bureau. FBI officials insist that the matters in question are merely administrative lapses. Mr. Sobel insists that there are too few mechanisms in place to prevent abuses by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.



Not since the days of the Nixon Administration has there been so much concern about the powers of the FBI. Certainly, we all benefit from a robust federal law enforcement agency, but at the same time, we should all be concerned about our Constitutional rights. The Patriot Act grants powers that under ordinary circumstances would be intolerable, but that given the vulnerability of our nation at this time, aren't particularly onerous for the ordinary citizen going about his daily affairs. Clearly, no one, especially the FBI, benefits if government agencies betray the public trust.

There are no other corroborating articles available at this time, so we will have to see if this report pans out and if, indeed, the FBI has overstepped its bounds. I would certainly hope that the FBI officials are correct in their insistence that the matters at hand are nothing more than administrative errors.

IMO that in this context "administrative errors" mean "we do what we want, we got the power"
These were probably scattered issues, without an obvious attempt to pick on anyone or anything... but the fact that they didn't care enough to follow administrative prochedures means they are feeling less obligated to be under oversight.

When they stop caring about following the rules... the future KGB... I mean FBI will decline quickly to an oppressive agency without control that monitors its own citizens, rather than protect them.

How is it that the FBI thinks that by saying these were "administrative errors" it assuages the general public of its fears? That compounds the peoples fears for God's sake. Not only are they breaking the law by spying on their citizens without cause but they are also incompetent!

Maybe those barriers and checks and balances the Patriot Act dismantled were there for a good reason? I cant think what they could be...

This is sickening... This brought back memories of the atf at waco instigating those people so they could press on w/ their strong arming antics.

American's are being abused by their government, left, right and center.

Have been for years, it's just every now and then they do something else that reminds us all that our government isn't there to protect us (which was the original purpose of creating american government), but to survellance us because we are potential enemies of the state.

f'in aholes...

[edit on 25-10-2005 by TrueLies]