The U.S. intelligence community can now store information innocent Americans for up to five years under new Obama administration rules, expanding previous authority to hold details on individuals with no ties to terrorism.
The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) was previously supposed to immediately destroy intelligence information about Americans when there were no clear ties to terrorism, but now new rules that basically justify spying on innocent Americans are being justified by terrorism fear-mongers.
“Following the failed terrorist attack in December 2009, representatives of the counterterrorism community concluded it is vital for NCTC to be provided with a variety of datasets from various agencies that contain terrorism information,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement late Thursday. “The ability to search against these datasets for up to five years on a continuing basis as these updated guidelines permit will enable NCTC to accomplish its mission more practically and effectively.”
Blogger Marcy Wheeler writes that “To justify this power grab,” advocates ” point to two attacks that had nothing to do with the length of data retention: the Nidal Hasan attack, in which information on his conversations with Anwar al-Awlaki hadn’t been shared throughout the government, and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, in which his suspect status hadn’t been loaded into the no-fly list.”
“They don’t, however, point to a concrete example where 5 year old data of US persons might have helped solve an actual terror attack,” she added.
Those who care about the rights of innocent Americans are concerned. “It is a vast expansion of the government’s surveillance authority,” said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. “Total Information Awareness appears to be reconstructing itself,” Rotenberg said, referring to the Defense Department’s post-9/11 intelligence program that was killed in 2003 because of privacy concerns.
The Obama administration, as is usual in cases where they disregard the Constitution, promised the new tyrannical rules would come with strong safeguards and accountability. In reality, the war on terrorism is continuing to be used to justify major infringements on the civil liberties of Americans.
"Total Information Awareness appears to be reconstructing itself" That statement is quite simply so naive it boggles the mind. Repeat after me….. IT NEVER WENT AWAY TO BEGIN WITH. Only the attention paid to it went underground.
The underwear bomber had no visa or ID and should not have even been allowed on the Detroit plane in the first place. Astonishing that this has then been the prime rationale behind the TSA scanners and groping plus now the retention of all data. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
You are correct – Abdulmutallab's failed attempt is not a justification for the collection and retention of data (anyone have any idea what data they are collecting and retaining? – probably not) on "innocent citizens".
So, tell me, has there been a hue and cry from, let's start with the media, for instance? Not much – barely a blip. And from the citizens, granted most of them get their talking points from the media…but, there has also been silence.
So, as is with all who seek power, if no one asks them WHY or tells them NO, well then, they're going to take everything they can – as they're doing now – and tell you they're doing it for our own good and the safety of the Homeland. I harp constantly about how the media – most media – have abrogated their responsibility to watch and report on the actions of those we elect, but you know, it's the citizens – all of us – who are ultimately responsible for allowing those we elect to take away our rights and freedom and lay the groundwork for the subjugation of the population.
One can also guarantee, that any re-examination of those files will be used as an excuse to keep them another five years ad infinitum!
They need to be sure that anyone who has even a casual regard for the constitution never talks with a like minded peer without every wink, nod and utterance being recorded. Adherence to the constitution IS terrorism to the politicians who have sold their votes and sympathies to corporations and or foreign governments. No single thing in this country posses such danger and fear as the constitution when the judiciary has been corrupted and the citizens have become the tools of corrupt politicians. No other instrument than the constitution stands between the citizen and absolute and unaccountable tyranny by those with good intentions or ill, who base their governance on temporal expediency. There is no other hope but the constitution when venality of elected leaders becomes endemic.
What constitution ?
The constitution is long dead. It's exists just for show. No politician (with one exception) follows it and no judge enforces it. Only an overwhelming demand on the part of the citizens could ever force them to follow it and that ain't happening.
At this point the state's power is limitless, which means we live in a totalitarian country, not a free one.
To a government that is not of, by, and for the people, you are not innocent if you read and post comments on Anti-war and similar sites. If you want to be in big brother’s Good List then go read CNN and Fox News.