NATIONAL SECURITY LETTER REPORT PROMPTS OUTRAGE FROM HILL

摘要

An unclassified DoJ Inspector Gen. report released Fri. found 48 損ossible?violations of National Security Letters (NSLs) procedure by the FBI in collecting phone, e-mail, and library records on those under no suspicion of wrongdoing. Senate and House Judiciary Committee leaders promised hearings, while Attorney Gen. Alberto Gonzales blamed 搒loppiness?for the violations. FBI staff had reported a majority (26) of the flagged NSL incidents to the Bureau抯 NSL tracking database in the general counsel抯 office, the IG said -- 22 were previously unreported. Most of those (19) involved recipients providing more material than sought or information on the wrong person, due to FBI typographical errors or errors by NSL recipients. The rest were issued without meeting the relevant NSL statute抯 requirements or whose underlying investigations weren抰 approved. nnThe IG report 揻ound no deliberate or intentional misuse of [NSL] authorities,?acknowledged the role of the FBI抯 搈ajor reorganization?since 9/11 and the Counterterrorism Div.抯 揺xtraordinary workload,?and cited instances in which NSLs proved 搕he basic building blocks... of investigations,?the FBI said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chmn. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) promised 揺xtensive hearings?on the findings -- Dir. Robert Mueller is to testify this month -- and 損ossible remedies.?None of the Bells had comment on their involvement in any of the NSLs in the report. 揈very day Verizon subpoena units respond to emergency requests from law enforcement for particular calling records,?a spokesman for that carrier said. An AT&T spokesman directed our questions to the FBI.