Fergie's Tech Blog

U.S. House Backs FISA Court on Eavesdropping Issues

Bob Deans writes on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's "Window on Washington":

Pushing back against the White House on warrantless wiretaps, the House early Friday approved a measure saying that court-issued warrants offer “the exclusive means” by which officials may eavesdrop on private conversations as a way to gather foreign intelligence information.

At issue is the administration’s practice of listening in - without receiving a warrant - on conversations between people in this country and abroad, when the administration has reason to suspect one party could have ties to a terrorist group.

President Bush has said the practice - which began shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but came to public light in late 2005 - is necessary to help the National Security Agency collect information that could help capture dangerous terrorists or head off another attack.

Civil liberties advocates have protested, however, insisting that the administration abide by the terms of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) of 1978.

posted by Fergie @ 5/11/2007 05:48:00 PM