A little known US government agency, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, has been keeping an eye on events within the US borders. Since the
911 attacks, this small department of about 100 people have focused their efforts on working with the Homeland Security department to keeping an eye
on what goes on at home. According to reports, about 2 times a month, the agency is called upon to help with the security of events in the US. It also
provides imagery to help forces defend against possible terrorist attacks. A cited example was for the Reagan funeral procession in Simi Valley. The
route was mapped out by the agency to allow security forces to better plan and secure the event. Others may include political conventions and nuclear
plants.
story.news.yahoo.com
BETHESDA, Md. - In the name of homeland security, America's spy imagery agency is keeping a close eye, close to home. It's watching America. Since
the Sept. 11 attacks, about 100 employees of a little-known branch of the Defense Department called the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency � and
some of the country's most sophisticated aerial imaging equipment � have focused on observing what's going on in the United States.
Their work brushes up against the fine line between protecting the public and performing illegal government spying on Americans.
Roughly twice a month, the agency is called upon to help with the security of events inside the United States. Even more routinely, it is asked to
help prepare imagery and related information to protect against possible attacks on critical sites.
For instance, the agency has modified basic maps of the nation's capital to highlight the location of hospitals, linking them to data on the number of
beds or the burn unit in each. To secure the Ronald Reagan funeral procession, the agency merged aerial photographs and 3D images, allowing security
planners to virtually walk, drive or fly through the Simi Valley, Calif., route.
The agency is especially watchful of big events or targets that might attract terrorists � political conventions, for example, or nuclear power
plants.
Everyone agrees that the domestic mission of the NGA has increased dramatically in the wake of Sept. 11, even though laws and carefully crafted
regulations are in place to prevent government surveillance aimed at Americans.
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The activities of the agency however may border on spying on American citizens. This is despite laws that are supposed to prevent this from
happening. The agency has stated that it is not interested in the activities of individual citizens. Critics like Steven Aftergood, an Federation of
American Scientists, say "What it all boils down to is 'Trust us. Our intentions are good,'" Others have called for public oversight of these
activities as well. The level of detail provided by the agency is tailored to the perceived threat. According to the NGA's associate general counsel,
Laura Jennings "In most cases, it's not intrusive,"It is information to help secure an event and to have people prepared to respond should there be an
attack, or to analyze the area where a threat has been made." .