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Saturday, May 23rd, 2015

FBI Admits No Major Cases Cracked with Patriot Act Snooping Powers

Author:     Maggie Ybarra
Source:     The Washington Times
Publication Date:     Thursday, May 21, 2015
Link: FBI Admits No Major Cases Cracked with Patriot Act Snooping Powers
Stephan:   Like so much that is important this has gone almost completely unremarked by corporate media. I found this account in the right-wing Washington Times, Reverend Moon's paper in D.C.. A paper it should be noted that featured such additional articles as: "Best Concealed handguns," "Best handguns under $500,"and  "These Pro-gun Celebrities may shock you." But right-wing source or not this is an important article because it reveals that the Orwellian surveillance state created by the Patriotic Act  hasn't done any of the things it was supposed to do, but has intruded in micro-detail into the lives of ordinary Americans.
Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz Credit:: DOJ.gov

Department of Justice Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz
Credit:: DOJ.gov

FBI agents can’t point to any major terrorism cases they’ve cracked thanks to the key snooping powers in the Patriot Act, the Justice Department’s inspector general said in a report Thursday (emphasis added) that could complicate efforts to keep key parts of the law operating.

Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz said that between 2004 and 2009, the FBI tripled its use of bulk collection under Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows government agents to compel businesses to turn over records and documents, and increasingly scooped up records of Americans who had no ties to official terrorism investigations.

The FBI did finally come up with procedures to try to minimize the information it was gathering on nontargets, but it took far too long, Mr. Horowitz said in the 77-page report, which comes just as Congress is trying to decide whether to extend, rewrite or entirely nix Section 215.

Backers say the Patriot Act powers are critical and must be kept […]

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