Domestic spying far outpaces terrorism prosecutions

Domestic spying far outpaces terrorism prosecutions

www.latimes.com

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans being secretly wiretapped or having their financial and other records reviewed by the government has continued to increase as officials aggressively use powers approved after the Sept. 11 attacks. But the number of terrorism prosecutions ending up in court -- one measure of the effectiveness of such sleuthing -- has continued to decline, in some cases precipitously.

The trends, visible in new government data and a private analysis of Justice Department records, are worrisome to civil liberties groups and some legal scholars. They say it is further evidence that the government has compromised the privacy rights of ordinary citizens without much to show for it.

The emphasis on spy programs also is starting to give pause to some members of Congress who fear the government is investing too much in anti-terrorism programs at the expense of traditional crime-fighting. Other lawmakers are raising questions about how well the FBI is performing its counter-terrorism mission.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Give them the power to snoop some and they will use it to snoop period.

That was obvious after watergate and the revelations of the FBI and CIA spying on domestic groups and the dynamic has not changed one iota.

If you trust these people to be honest and above board all I can say is you are niave at best.

www.latimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 12-5-2008 by grover]