NEWS: FBI Seeks to Expand Their Power with the Ability to Track Mail

Next week, in a closed door-meeting of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the FBI may be granted the power to direct postal inspectors to turn over any name and address from anyone connected to a foreign intelligence agency.



On the bright side, this proposal will not let the FBI open the mail. This would still require a search warrant. This expansion of power is part of a larger package proposed by the FBI which includes the power to records without approval by a judge or grand jury. The FBI claims these proposals are to efficiently fight the 'War on Terrorism'.

My wife is Hungarian, and this is exactly the way Hungary used to be. Wake up sheeple.

The FBI wants to be able to track US mail in order to fight terrorism but the government refuses to even make a half #ss attempt to close the border. Makes you wonder what there real goals are?

Okay. I am totally against anything that threatens individuals' rights and freedoms. But it seems that anyone "connected to a foreign intelligence agency" will be part of government, or else should be watched. So I don't quite get the problem.

What's the problem here?

Would this mean the FBI could monitor other US agencies' mail? Is that bad? Why?

...How exactly is "foreign intelligence" defined? Is that a big "i" - meaning an actual foreign intelligence agency in another government - or a small "i" meaning any information from a foreign source?

Does "foreign intelligence" include medical research? Environmental assessments? Conference itineraries? Business?

The FBI claims the right to intervene "if it determines that the material is "relevant to an authorized investigation to obtain foreign intelligence." " ...Does that mean the FBI can say any foreign correspondence involves foreign "intelligence" simply because it is foreign, and therfore can be claimed "relevant to an authorized investigation"? Is that the problem?

If so,

Given the broad definition of "terrorist" in the US Patriot Act this is a cause for concern. I get nervous anytime the government starts making lists of names.

I mean how can they tell if a piece of mail is sent by someone from a foreign intelligence agency? I doubt they would include a return address like "KGB, the Kremlin, Moscow, Russia"

Simulacra you omitted a link to your story. Don't edit your post (since it's been upgraded) just post a link. Thanks.

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Originally posted by Gools
Simulacra you omitted a link to your story. Don't edit your post (since it's been upgraded) just post a link. Thanks.

I didn't edit it.
But the link is:
www.nytimes.com...

As you can see by the original post there is none of this (look below)

[edit on 5/22/2005 by Simulacra]

hmmmmm..... and the FBI just labeled 2 domestic groups as the number one terrorist threat to the u.s. ......hmmmmm

the more pieces that fall, the more the picture becomes clearer............................

Nothing suprises me when it comes to the government agencies doing as they wish. This is the way its always been nothing more nothing less

guess they will have to find means of high encryption emails if they are hiding anything. All is fair in the game of love and war eh........