FBI Can Inspect Bank Records w/o Court Orders

AlexZander writes: "Thankfully, the so-called 'Patriot Act II' was discovered last year and the public outcry that ensued was enough to get the bill tossed out the window. One of the goals of that act, however, has made it into law under the radar of the community at large. However, on December 13th, President Bush signed Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (the relevant section is 374) into law, which among other things, grants the FBI the power to obtain financial information without a court order from a judge. It also expands the definition of 'financial information' to include car dealerships, jewelry stores, insurance companies, and other stretches of the definition of 'financial institution'. Wired News has the story here."

"The best parts about this is that the law prevents the business that gives up the information to the FBI from telling their customer about the request. Oh, that and the new law only requires a "national security letter" from a field agent stating that the information reqested is part of an investigation relevant to national security.

Yikes!"

Comments

Way ahead of you.

[sparklingfruit]

I pre-ordered my 21" telescreen yesterday, I bought myself a newspeak dictionary and enrolled my daughter in the Junior Anti-Sex League.

Re:Way ahead of you.

[interstellar_donkey]

Get ready to be saying "The U.S. is at war with Iran. The U.S. has always been at war with Iran."

Tinfoil hats

[bathmatt]

They may be able to read my bank records, but they cant read my mind thanks to my tinfoil hat.

Re:Nobody wants it, yet we get it

[cK-Gunslinger]

Exactly! We should vote for the candidates who promise to "do the right thing" and "work for us" and kick out those who promise to "screw us over at every opportunity."

Yeesh.

[American AC in Paris]

It also expands the definition of 'financial information' to include car dealerships, jewelry stores, insurance companies

...yeah, because if there's one thing we know about the archetypical terrorist, it's that they frequent frickin' jewelry stores.

Y'know, so they can maintain their secular lifestyles of lavish excess. Their jihad-oriented faith demands bling-bling.

This way, they can crush the infidel Western capitalists in style.

Re:Terrorist Clause

[Saeger]

So maybe they're legally prevented from verbally informing me if I'm being snooped on, but can they still do what my friendly librarian does by giving me a *wink**wink* along with a complimentary Asscroft bookmark?

--

Is all this really necessary?

[mabu]

With all those personalized credit cards they have now. If you're a pet owner you can get a Yorkshire Terrier picture on your credit card; scuba divers have their DAN credit cards, etc. I think Citibank should come out with the "Terrorist VISA" card, perhaps with a picture of Saddam or Osama on it, maybe a burning US flag or something. Of course, all the terrorists will apply for the new Citibank Terrorist VISA and then we'll know exactly who they are!

Re:I'm so sick of hearing "if you are innocent..."

[beta21]

Thats right...if you are innocent none of this should worry you

Go ahead search my house, I'm innocent

Look at my bank records, I'm innocent

preform an anal cavity search, I'm...woah there!

Re:It's already being heavily used...

[KFury]

All that Vegas intelligence and they still couldn't stop Britney from getting married...

Re:Terrorist Clause

[Petronius]

so who are the 6 between Dubya and Bin Laden?