ID:

311

Date:

2008-04-30

Headline:

Pentagon Is Expected to Close Intelligence Unit

Reporter's name:

Mark Mazzetti

Delay/denial:

No

Lawsuit:

No

Fees:

No

Media outlet:

The New York Times

City:

Washington, DC

Summary:

The Pentagon was expected to shut down its Counterintelligence Field Activity office, created by former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld after the September 11 attacks. The office and various other Defense Department programs had been accused of toeing the line of domestic spying and was put under review by new Defense Secretary Robert Gates. A report on “national security letters,” issued to uncover an individual’s financial ties to spy or terrorist organizations, were released through a FOIA request, filed by the ACLU.

Notes:

The documents, released as part of a Freedom of Information lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, include an internal review begun in 2007 that examined the Pentagon’s use of the so-called national security letters. The review found poor coordination and a lack of standardized training inside the Defense Department about using the letters, but uncovered no instances where the department broke any laws.

Keywords:

Pentagon, Rumsfeld, Bush, administration, national security, terrorism, domestic spying, surveillance, wiretap, national security letter, Counterintelligence field activity, defense,

URL:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/washington/02intel.html?em&ex=1207281600&en=925a9cd2009b4411&ei=5087%0A

Agencies:

DOD

States:

DC

Categories:

classified information
intelligence
national security
terrorism