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Eavesdropping Helpful Against Terrorist Plot [UPDATED]

Posted by Zonk on from the i-don't-think-it-bodes-well dept.

AcidPenguin9873 writes "The New York Times reports that the U.S. government's ability to eavesdrop on personal communications helped break up a terrorist plot in Germany. The intercepted phone calls and emails revealed a connection between the plotters and a breakaway cell of the terrorist group Islamic Jihad Union. What does this mean for the future of privacy in personal communications? From the article: '[Director of national intelligence Mike McConnell's] remarks also represent part of intensifying effort by Bush administration officials to make permanent a law that is scheduled to expire in about five months. Without the law, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Mr. McConnell said the nation would lose "50 percent of our ability to track, understand and know about these terrorists, what they're doing to train, what they're doing to recruit and what they're doing to try to get into this country.'" Update: 09/13 12:59 GMT by J : See followup story.

4 of 486 comments (clear)

  1. Well they would say that, wouldnt they? by TechnoBunny · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Obviously even more anti-privacy laws will make the US even safer, and do more to reduce the number of terrorist attacks to even less than the...erm...none over the last 6 years.....

  2. I'm sure it is by DoctorPepper · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just like eavesdropping on conversations helped the KGB find and arrest dissidents in the (former) Soviet Union.

    Which we appear to be heading towards faster and faster with each passing day!

    --

    No matter where you go... there you are.
  3. Re:So..? by Reason58 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does this mean that you unwilling to give up any liberty in exchange for safety? I'm willing to give up a small amount of freedom for a large gain in safety. I am not willing to give up a large amount of freedom for something as effective as the "War on drugs". Especially when I know those new governmental powers will just be turned on me and my children in very short order (if they aren't already).
  4. Re:So..? by DarkVader · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Because the German authorities also cooperate to intercept communications by Americans - it's a mutual aid agreement. The British actually are used more often, and are the ones listening to US domestic and international calls - it's a way of getting around the Constitution. In exchange, we monitor British traffic for them.

    And if you read the Bill of Rights, it doesn't have any provisions limiting it to apply only to Americans. It is prohibitions on what the government may do, and they don't have national restrictions, they apply to the actions of the government.