(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is alarmed by the American government’s reform of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The reform gives federal agents carrying out investigations linked to the fight against terrorism the power to monitor telephone conversations and intercept e-mail or any other type of Internet-based information exchange. “The emotions stirred up by the terrorist […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is alarmed by the American government’s reform of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The reform gives federal agents carrying out investigations linked to the fight against terrorism the power to monitor telephone conversations and intercept e-mail or any other type of Internet-based information exchange.
“The emotions stirred up by the terrorist attacks of 11 September and the legitimate desire to combat terrorism must not lead to an attack on collective and individual freedoms, particularly on the freedom of expression enshrined in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,” said RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard in a letter to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. “This reform calls into question the fundamental principles of the confidential nature of a journalist’s sources and information,” added Ménard. RSF called on Ashcroft to confirm the principle of confidentiality of sources and information by requiring that any surveillance activity first be authorised by a judge.
The attorney general and FBI Director Robert Mueller presented their plans to reform the federal police on 30 May 2002. Under the plan, the FBI is to focus its activities on the fight against terrorism rather than crime-fighting. Among the key changes, federal agents would be authorised to monitor telephone and electronic communications made by any person who may be in possession of information relating to terrorism affairs, without requesting prior authorisation from a judge. The FBI could also access computerised databases containing commercial, economic or scientific information. Agents would also have the authority to infiltrate political and public meetings and places of worship. Such investigations could be carried out as “preventive” measures, even if no evidence exists against persons or organisations under surveillance.
Many civil liberties and freedom of expression defence organisations have condemned the reforms, “which recall the dark days of McCarthyism,” according to RSF. Indeed, recent blunders by the FBI have demonstrated the limitations of ill-supervised surveillance. The U.S. non-governmental organisation Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has obtained official FBI documents which prove that a glitch in its e-mail interception software “Carnivore” has led to unintentional spying on the e-mail of citizens who have no links whatsoever to terrorism issues.
