Jan 13, 2007 9:02 pm US/Eastern
NYT: Pentagon, CIA Grabbing Bank Records
New York Times: Agencies Using National Security Letters To Expand Domestic Spying
NEW YORK (CBS News) ―
The U.S. military and the Central Intelligence Agency have been using a little-known power to get the banking records of hundreds of Americans and others in the United States suspected of terrorism, the New York Times reported Saturday.
Citing anonymous intelligence officials, the Times said that the Pentagon and the CIA have been issuing "national security letters" to financial institutions to gain access to bank records.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is the U.S. agency designated for domestic counterterrorism activities, has issued thousands of national security letters, or NSLs, which compel companies or individuals to turn over information. The FBI does not need a warrant to obtain information if they issue a NSL.
The Pentagon and CIA versions of the NSLs are "noncompulsory," according to the Times report, but companies receiving the letters usually turn over the requested information voluntarily.
In 2005, the FBI used NSLs to secretly seek information on 3,501 U.S. citizens and legal residents from their banks, credit card, telephone and Internet companies without a court's approval, according to the Justice Department.
The FBI delivered a total of 9,254 NSLs relating to 3,501 people that year, according to a report submitted in April, 2006 to Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate. In some cases, the bureau demanded information about one person from several companies.
The Pentagon and the CIA are forbidden from traditional law enforcement roles in the United States. The Bush administration has tried since September 11, 2001 to expand the domestic surveillance powers of both agencies.
Congressional officials told the Times that members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees had been briefed on the expanded use of the letters.
The letters "provide tremendous leads to follow and often with which to corroborate other evidence in the context of counterespionage and counterterrorism," said Maj. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told the Times.
CIA officials told the Times that the agency issues a handful of national security letters each year.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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