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FBI Is Behind Mysterious Flights Over US Cities

Posted by Soulskill on from the no-such-bureau dept.

New submitter kaizendojo sends a report from the Associated Press indicating the FBI has a small fleet of planes that fly across the U.S. carrying surveillance equipment. The planes are registered with fictitious companies to hide their association with the U.S. government. The FBI says they're only used for investigations that are "specific" and "ongoing," but they're often used without getting permission from a judge beforehand. "Some of the aircraft can also be equipped with technology that can identify thousands of people below through the cellphones they carry, even if they're not making a call or in public. Officials said that practice, which mimics cell towers and gets phones to reveal basic subscriber information, is rare." The AP identified at least 50 FBI-controlled planes, which have done over 100 flights since late April. The AP adds that they've seen the planes "orbiting large, enclosed buildings for extended periods where aerial photography would be less effective than electronic signals collection."

14 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. Don't worry about it! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm sure Obama will stop this nonsense just as soon as he's President and Bush is out of office...

    1. Re:Don't worry about it! by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 3, Insightful

      After he is elected for life!

      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    2. Re:Don't worry about it! by dcollins117 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I would think you'd tone it down a bit at least while there is another prominent story on the front page about professional internet trolling. It would be less transparent and maybe you could dupe a few more people that way. Not that I'm one to criticize.You have a job to do, probably one you hate and don't care if it's done well or not. Still, trolling is a art, and if you're going to do it, why not do it well?

  2. Yeerks by nvm_my_comment · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Kind of sound like bad Sci-Fi but so did the NSA stuff...

  3. Confused by Ziest · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Are you sure it's the FBI and not the Stasi? I'm having more and more trouble telling them apart.

    --
    Another day closer to redwood heaven
    1. Re:Confused by evilrip · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The Stasi would get their pants in a wet bunch if they were around today :) USA has become a fascist state. These people they do not care about anything other than their own things. Damage to you and me is just the cost of doing business for them. REFORM IS NEEDED NOW! Didn't FBI come to life inspecting brothels? Perhaps they should go back to that or dismantle if there is no longer a demand for this.

      --
      "To err is human, to forgive, beyond the scope of the Operating System"
  4. POE OPE DOPE by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yes, FBI and NSA, you only use it for good, as opposed to Putin, who uses it for evil. The goodness in your heart will prevent your panopticon from being misused to fall into dictatorship, even though nothing in human history gives you confidence in that theory, and the Founding Fathers, who barely freed themselves from a much less intrusive entity, took great care to prevent government from doing what you are doing now, because they knew the flaw in allowing government any power like that was indeed the purity of your heart and your promise not to abuse.

    --
    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  5. This is all Bush's fault!!!! by nwaack · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's too bad we couldn't elect a president that promises transparency and who will work to end these practices...

  6. And this is why by koan · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Reform of the FBI, NSA, etc is unlikely, they just "keep doing it".
    These guys are supposed to be the watchers, but who is watching the watchers? And even if someone was what can they do about it?

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    1. Re:And this is why by SpankiMonki · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm just wondering, what do we think they are doing? Where I agree it looks bad, but do we have any real information about what they are doing and if the data, pictures or what have you being collected really is somehow a problem.

      Right.

      "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

      TFA notes that the FBI's surveillance is "generally" done without a judge's approval. The problem here is obvious.

    2. Re:And this is why by whoever57 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Remember that ALL evidence related to a case MUST be disclosed to the defense at trial, ... So they simply DON'T develop evidence which isn't 100% legal, obtaining warrants when necessary, the risks are too great

      Is that meant as sarcasm? If it was meant to be serious, then you are seriously mis-informed. Google "Parallel construction"

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
  7. 50 aircraft by Tailhook · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's a big fleet of planes. Just think, one "not secret" program inside one bureau of one branch of our Federal Government controls 50 aircraft, and we're not even allow to know what this operation is called, as they smother the whole thing under shell companies.

    Isn't having a giant government great? Lets give them more money and see what they do with it.

    --
    Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
  8. From who? by IamTheRealMike · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The planes are registered with fictitious companies to hide their association with the U.S. government.

    Hide their association from who, exactly? Air traffic control? It's not like you can see who registered a plane from the ground.

    This statement just screams "we are breaking the rules and don't want to get caught"

  9. Re:So what exactly are they doing wrong? by rogoshen1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    they're flying a fleet of 50 planes, doing dragnet surveillance by spoofing cell phone towers. Okay.

    When it comes to these people, benefit of the doubt is not something that should be extended.