[Clips] U.S.: FBI Sought Info Without Court OK

[R.A. Hettinga]

--- begin forwarded text


  Delivered-To: rah at shipwright.com
  Delivered-To: clips at philodox.com
  Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2006 20:21:09 -0400
  To: Philodox Clips List <clips at philodox.com>
  From: "R.A. Hettinga" <rah at shipwright.com>
  Subject: [Clips] U.S.: FBI Sought Info Without Court OK
  Reply-To: rah at philodox.com
  Sender: clips-bounces at philodox.com

  <http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060428/D8H99DSG1.html>


  My Way News


  U.S.: FBI Sought Info Without Court OK
  Email this Story

  Apr 28, 6:27 PM (ET)

  By MARK SHERMAN

  WASHINGTON (AP) - The FBI secretly sought information last year on 3,501
  U.S. citizens and legal residents from their banks and credit card,
  telephone and Internet companies without a court's approval, the Justice
  Department said Friday.

  It was the first time the Bush administration has publicly disclosed how
  often it uses the administrative subpoena known as a national security
  letter, which allows the executive branch of government to obtain records
  about people in terrorism and espionage investigations without court
  approval.

  Friday's disclosure was mandated as part of the renewal of the Patriot Act,
  the administration's sweeping anti-terror law.

  The FBI delivered a total of 9,254 NSLs relating to 3,501 people in 2005,
  according to a report submitted late Friday to Democratic and Republican
  leaders in the House and Senate. In some cases, the bureau demanded
  information about one person from several companies.

  The department also reported it received a secret court's approval for 155
  warrants to examine business records last year, under a Patriot Act
  provision that includes library records. However, Attorney General Alberto
  Gonzales has said the department has never used the provision to ask for
  library records.

  The number was a significant jump over past use of the warrant for business
  records. A year ago, Gonzales told Congress there had been 35 warrants
  approved between November 2003 and April 2005.
  --
  -----------------
  R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
  The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
  44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
  "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
  [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
  experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'
  _______________________________________________
  Clips mailing list
  Clips at philodox.com
  http://www.philodox.com/mailman/listinfo/clips

--- end forwarded text


-- 
-----------------
R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
"... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity,
[predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to
experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'