Bush Administration Says Warrantless Eavesdropping Cannot Be Questioned

The Bush administration said Monday the constitutionality of its warrantless electronic eavesdropping program cannot be challenged.

The government is taking that position in seeking the dismissal of federal court lawsuits against the government and AT&T over its alleged involvement in the once-secret surveillance program adopted after the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The strategy was first recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a McCarthy-era lawsuit. It has been increasingly invoked in a bid to shield the government from legal scrutiny.

(Source: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/08/bush-administ-1.html)

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CIA destroyed al-Qaida interrogation video - Tapes included waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah, who was captured in ’02

The CIA videotaped the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, the first major al-Qaida leader captured, but later destroyed the tapes, current and former intelligence officials tell NBC News.

The video, meant to instruct other agency personnel — as well as serve as an "internal check," included video of Zubaydah being subjected to waterboarding, the interrogation technique that simulates drowning and is the most controversial of the many techniques used on high-value al-Qaida detainees.

In a statement to agency employees released Thursday, CIA Director Mike Hayden revealed that the agency destroyed all copies of the video in 2005. While the official agency statement does not mention waterboarding, officials tell NBC News the videos included the waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah, the leader in charge of al-Qaida's training camps. He was known as al-Qaida's "dean of students" and had an encyclopedic knowledge of al-Qaida operatives worldwide. He is now awaiting trial at the U.S. prison at the Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

(Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22134870/)

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Massive surveillance net keeps track of Americans' travel -- down to the size of your hotel bed

The Bush Administration has been collecting detailed records on the travel habits of Americans headed overseas, whether you fly, drive or take cruises abroad -- not simply your method of transit but the personal items you carry with you and the people you stay with, according to documents and statements obtained by the Washington Post.

They even keep sometimes keep track of what books you read. For as long as 15 years.

(Source: http://rawstory.com//news/2007/Massive_surveillance_net_keeps_track_of_0922.html)

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Bush Goes Private to Spy on You

A new intelligence institution to be inaugurated soon by the Bush administration will allow government spying agencies to conduct broad surveillance and reconnaissance inside the United States for the first time. Under a proposal being reviewed by Congress, a National Applications Office (NAO) will be established to coordinate how the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and domestic law enforcement and rescue agencies use imagery and communications intelligence picked up by U.S. spy satellites. If the plan goes forward, the NAO will create the legal mechanism for an unprecedented degree of domestic intelligence gathering that would make the United States one of the world's most closely monitored nations. Until now, domestic use of electronic intelligence from spy satellites was limited to scientific agencies with no responsibility for national security or law enforcement.
(Source: http://www.alternet.org/rights/69105/)

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House Votes for Big Brother Public Wi-Fi Law

In other words, the local bookstore or coffee shop with an open WiFi connection will now be forced by the government to snoop on its patrons, lest these business owners be held liable for what their patrons view. No doubt, instead of dealing with this Big Brother role imposed on them by the government, in addition to paying business taxes, many will likely stop offering WiFi connectivity.
(Source: http://www.truthnews.us/?p=1137)

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Firefighters asked to report people who express discontent with the government

It was revealed last week that firefighters are being trained to not only keep an eye out for illegal materials in the course of their duties, but even to report back any expression of discontent with the government.

A year ago, Homeland Security gave security clearances to nine New York City fire chiefs and began sharing intelligence with them. Even before that, fire department personnel were being taught "to identify material or behavior that may indicate terrorist activities" and were also "told to be alert for a person who is hostile, uncooperative or expressing hate or discontent with the United States."

Unlike law enforcement officials, firemen can go onto private property without a warrant, not only while fighting fires but also for inspections. "It's the evolution of the fire service," said a Phoenix, AZ fire chief of his information-sharing arrangement with law enforcement.

Source

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Homeland Security Enlists Clergy to Quell Public Unrest if Martial Law Ever Declared

If martial law were enacted here at home, like depicted in the movie "The Siege", easing public fears and quelling dissent would be critical. And that's exactly what the 'Clergy Response Team' helped accomplish in the wake of Katrina.

Dr. Durell Tuberville serves as chaplain for the Shreveport Fire Department and the Caddo Sheriff's Office. Tuberville said of the clergy team's mission, "the primary thing that we say to anybody is, 'let's cooperate and get this thing over with and then we'll settle the differences once the crisis is over.'"

Such clergy response teams would walk a tight-rope during martial law between the demands of the government on the one side, versus the wishes of the public on the other. "In a lot of cases, these clergy would already be known in the neighborhoods in which they're helping to diffuse that situation," assured Sandy Davis. He serves as the director of the Caddo-Bossier Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

For the clergy team, one of the biggest tools that they will have in helping calm the public down or to obey the law is the bible itself, specifically Romans 13. Dr. Tuberville elaborated, "because the government's established by the Lord, you know. And, that's what we believe in the Christian faith. That's what's stated in the scripture."
(Source: http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=6937987)

Read the full article here.

Tell Congress not to pass the FISA Amendments Act - Sign this petition

Tell Congress not to pass the FISA Amendments Act - Sign this petition:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-fisa-amendments-act

FISA Amendments Act of 2007: Physical Searches Without a Warrant

FISA Amendments Act of 2007: Physical Searches Without a Warrant

If you listened to what few news reports there are about the FISA Amendments Act of 2007, you might be forgiven for thinking that the bill concerns electronic surveillance.

You’d be wrong.
Source:http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2007/10/23/fisa-amendments-act-of-2007-physical-searches-without-a-warrant/

To boil it down to a one-sentence conclusion, Section 107 of the FISA Amendments Act of 2007 enables the Attorney General to order physical searches of anyone’s property or possessions without a warrant or accountability, at the whim of the Attorney General. That’s a frightening prospect.
Source:http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2007/10/23/fisa-amendments-act-of-2007-physical-searches-without-a-warrant/

Petition asking Congress not to pass this:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-fisa-amendments-act

Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act

Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007

Bill number: H.R. 1955

Title: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007

The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act was introduced by Representative Jane Harman, on April 19, 2007. It passed the House of Representatives on October 23, 2007. The bill has not passed the Senate yet.

The Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act establishes a "National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Ideologically Based Violence", and creates a "Center of Excellence for the Study of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism in the United States"

The bill is not as concerning to me as bills such as the Miliary Commissions Act or the Protect America Act of 2007, however, many people disagree.

Congresswoman Jane Harman has introduced legislation--H.R. 1955: "Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism"--that is expected to be referred to the House Rules Committee for assignment of floor time for debate by the House. This is a bill that is unneeded, unwise, and unfortunately will pass and be signed into law as it purports to be part of the response to 9/11 and the global war on terror.

At base, Harman's proposal seems to be a direct attack on First Amendment rights. No where is this more clear than in the third introductory paragraph (the "where as" section) that provides the context for the action desired. Specifically, this legislation aims at the unregulated nature of the Internet:

"The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens."

Moreover, Harman is telling the American public, citizens and permanent residents, that they are too dumb to recognize hate speech, demonizing rhetoric, and propaganda, and are so morally immature that they are not capable of knowing when to "blow off" terrorists and their messages designed to incite large scale insurrection

One also gets the impression that Harman believes that terrorist criminality has become so wide and the number of people who mentally entertain thoughts of non-compliance with authority so numerous that the country is about to teeter into chaos
(Source: http://www.counterpunch.org/smith10252007.html)




The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed HR 1955 titled the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. This bill is one of the most blatant attacks against the Constitution yet and actually defines thought crimes as homegrown terrorism. If passed into law, it will also establish a commission and a Center of Excellence to study and defeat so called thought criminals. Unlike previous anti-terror legislation, this bill specifically targets the civilian population of the United States and uses vague language to define homegrown terrorism. Amazingly, 404 of our elected representatives from both the Democrat and Republican parties voted in favor of this bill. There is little doubt that this bill is specifically targeting the growing patriot community that is demanding the restoration of the Constitution.

First let’s take a look at the definitions of violent radicalization and homegrown terrorism as defined in Section 899A of the bill.

The definition of violent radicalization uses vague language to define this term of promoting any belief system that the government considers to be an extremist agenda. Since the bill doesn’t specifically define what an extremist belief system is, it is entirely up to the interpretation of the government. Considering how much the government has done to destroy the Constitution they could even define Ron Paul supporters as promoting an extremist belief system. Literally, the government according to this definition can define whatever they want as an extremist belief system. Essentially they have defined violent radicalization as thought crime. The definition as defined in the bill is shown below.

`(2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION- The term `violent radicalization' means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.

The definition of homegrown terrorism uses equally vague language to further define thought crime. The bill includes the planned use of force or violence as homegrown terrorism which could be interpreted as thinking about using force or violence. Not only that but the definition is so vaguely defined, that petty crimes could even fall into the category of homegrown terrorism. The definition as defined in the bill is shown below.

`(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
(Source: http://www.roguegovernment.com/news.php?id=4682)

Bush War Adviser Says Draft Worth a Look

The "War Czar" Says Draft Worth a Look

Quote from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6841959,00.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Frequent tours for U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan have stressed the all-volunteer force and made it worth considering a return to a military draft, President Bush's new war adviser said Friday.

``I think it makes sense to certainly consider it,'' Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute said in an interview with National Public Radio's ``All Things Considered.''

(Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6841959,00.html)

Bush Signs Law to Widen Reach for Wiretapping

Quote from: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/washington/06nsa.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1186851639-QUF8QTGNcWoUTRHbd33oUw

WASHINGTON, Aug. 5 — President Bush signed into law on Sunday legislation that broadly expanded the government’s authority to eavesdrop on the international telephone calls and e-mail messages of American citizens without warrants.

Congressional aides and others familiar with the details of the law said that its impact went far beyond the small fixes that administration officials had said were needed to gather information about foreign terrorists. They said seemingly subtle changes in legislative language would sharply alter the legal limits on the government’s ability to monitor millions of phone calls and e-mail messages going in and out of the United States.

(Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/washington/06nsa.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1186851639-QUF8QTGNcWoUTRHbd33oUw)

I can't believe Congress actually went along with this!