F.B.I.'s Reach Into Records Is Set to Grow

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2003 10:40:18 +0100
From: the terminal of Geoff Goodfellow <geoff () iconia com>
Subject: F.B.I.'s Reach Into Records Is Set to Grow
To: Dave E-mail Pamphleteer Farber <dave () farber net>

F.B.I.'s Reach Into Records Is Set to Grow
By ERIC LICHTBLAU
The New York Times

Published: November 12, 2003

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 — A little-noticed measure approved by both the House
and Senate would significantly expand the F.B.I.'s power to demand financial
records, without a judge's approval, from car dealers, travel agents,
pawnbrokers and many other businesses, officials said on Tuesday.

Traditional financial institutions like banks and credit unions are
frequently subject to administrative subpoenas from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation to produce financial records in terrorism and espionage
investigations. Such subpoenas, which are known as national security
letters, do not require the bureau to seek a judge's approval before issuing
them.

The measure now awaiting final approval in Congress would significantly
broaden the law to include securities dealers, currency exchanges, car
dealers, travel agencies, post offices, casinos, pawnbrokers and any other
institution doing cash transactions with "a high degree of usefulness in
criminal, tax or regulatory matters."

Officials said the measure, which is tucked away in the intelligence
community's authorization bill for 2004, gives agents greater flexibility
and speed in seeking to trace the financial assets of people suspected of
terrorism and espionage. It mirrors a proposal that President Bush outlined
in a speech two months ago to expand the use of administrative subpoenas in
terrorism cases.

--snip--

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/12/politics/12RECO.html

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geoff.goodfellow () iconia com * Prague - CZ * telephone +420 603 706 558
"success is getting what you want & happiness is wanting what you get"
http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/01/biztech/articles/17drop.html
http://blogging.cz

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