Fergie's Tech Blog

Senators Quiz FBI Director on Patriot Act

Anne Broache writes on C|Net News:

The FBI's use of a Patriot Act provision that lets it make secret requests for subscriber information from Internet service providers drew scrutiny from U.S. senators on Tuesday.

At a wide-ranging oversight hearing convened here by the Senate Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Robert Mueller faced a number of questions from Democrats voicing concern over the scope of the controversial investigative tactic, known as a National Security Letter, or NSL.

Federal law requires communication service providers to provide records about individuals in response to such letters, which do not require the use of a court warrant. Legal challenges to that measure's constitutionality are still pending.

Until recently, recipients of such letters were also not allowed to disclose the FBI's request to anyone. The final Patriot Act reauthorization approved earlier this year loosened those requirements somewhat, allowing recipients to appeal the requests to a court and to seek legal advice.

posted by Fergie @ 5/02/2006 02:29:00 PM