INTELLIGENCE -- PENTAGON DOMESTIC SPYING PROVISION SNUCK INTO BILL:
The Senate may give the Defense Department more information about American citizens, without letting American citizens know. The new provisions -- snuck into the bill with little public attention -- reflect President Bush's desire to give the Pentagon increased powers in civil affairs.
The new provisions include allowing the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) to "covertly approach and cultivate 'U.S. persons' and even recruit them as informants -- without disclosing they are doing so on behalf of the U.S. government," allowing federal intelligence agencies increased access to government databases on U.S. citizens, and granting the DIA new exemptions to withhold information from public requests.
Similar provisions were inserted last year into the same authorization bill, but removed under public objections. ACLU Legislative Council Tim Sparapani objected: "This punches yet another enormous hole through the Privacy Act."
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