Posted on 08/02/2007 12:13:52 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
WASHINGTON — A special court that has routinely approved eavesdropping operations has put new restrictions on the ability of U.S. spy agencies to intercept e-mails and telephone calls of suspected terrorists overseas, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
The previously undisclosed ruling by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court has prompted concern among senior intelligence officials and lawmakers that the efforts of U.S. spy agencies to track terrorism suspects might be impaired at a time when analysts have warned that the United States is under heightened risk of attack.
It also has triggered a push in Congress this week to pass temporary legislation that would protect parts of a controversial eavesdropping program launched by the Bush administration after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The administration and Democrats are at odds over how to address the issue, leading to concerns that it might not be resolved before Congress starts its August recess Monday.
This week, congressional leaders have alluded to the recent decision by the court, which was created in 1978 as part of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
One official said the issue centered on a ruling in which a FISA court judge rejected a government application for a "basket warrant" — a term that refers to court approval for surveillance activity encompassing multiple targets, rather than warrants issued on a case-by-case basis for surveillance of specific terrorism suspects.
"One FISA judge approved this, and then a second FISA judge didn't," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the activities of the FISA court are classified.
The precise effect of the ruling is unclear, but a second official said that it "reduced the amount of intelligence we were collecting" on overseas terrorism suspects.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
And the New York Times though there isn’t much difference.
They’re either crazy or terminally stupid. The jury’s still out.
I can understand keeping the targets classified in terror-related cases, but not the name of the scumbag judge who may end up with considerable American blood on his hands. Keeping that judge's name "classified" is a disgrace (even though the scumbag's name would inevitably get leaked in the event of a catastrophe).
I hope somebody somewhere presses for this scumbag's name.
Don’t know which judge it was but here is a list of all the judges currently on the court. Don’t know who appointed them to the various circuits. http://www.fas.org/irp/agency/doj/fisa/court2007.html Sorry about the formating.
THE FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT
2007 Membership
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court was created by section 103(a) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1803(a)). It was originally comprised of seven district judges from seven circuits named by the Chief Justice of the United States to serve a maximum of 7 years.
In 2001, the U.S.A. Patriot Act (section 208) amended the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to increase the number of FIS Court judges from seven to eleven, “of whom no fewer than 3 shall reside within 20 miles of the District of Columbia.” The membership of the Court in 2007 was as follows.
Appointed Expires
KOLLAR-KOTELLY, Colleen (Presiding) D.D.C. 5/19/2002 5/18/2009
BATES, John D. D.D.C. 2/22/2006 5/18/2013
BENSON, Dee D.Utah 4/08/2004 5/18/2011
BROOMFIELD, Robert C. D.Ariz. 10/01/2002 5/18/2009
CARR, James G. N.D.OH 5/19/2002 5/18/2008
GORTON, Nathaniel M. D.Mass. 5/18/2001 5/18/2008
HOWARD, Malcolm N.C. 5/19/2005 5/18/2012
KAZEN, George P. S.D.Tex. 7/15/2003 5/18/2010
SCULLIN Jr., Frederick J. N.D.N.Y. 5/19/2004 5/18/2011
VINSON, Roger N.D.Florida 5/04/2006 5/18/2013
WALTON, Reggie B. D.D.C. 5/19/2007 5/18/2014
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE COURT OF REVIEW
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review was created by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to review applications that were denied by the FIS Court. The Court of Review is comprised of three judges, one of whom is designated as the presiding judge, named by the Chief Justice of the United States from the U.S. district or appellate courts. Judges serve a maximum of seven years and are not eligible for redesignation.
Appointed Expires
LEAVY, Edward (Presiding) Ninth Circuit 9/25/2001 5/18/2008
WINTER, Ralph K., Jr. Second Circuit 5/18/2003 5/18/2010
SELYA, Bruce M. First Circuit 8/08/2005 8/18/2012
KOLLAR-KOTELLY, Colleen (Presiding) appointed by Bill Clinton
BATES, John D. appointed by George W. Bush
BENSON, Dee D.Utah appointed by George H.W. Bush
BROOMFIELD, Robert C. appointed by Ronald Reagan
CARR, James G. appointed by Bill Clinton
GORTON, Nathaniel M. appointed by George H. W. Bush
HOWARD, Malcolm appointed by Ronald Reagan
KAZEN, George appointed by Jimmie Carter
SCULLIN Jr., Frederick J. appointed by George H.W. Bush
VINSON, Roger appointed by Ronald Reagan
WALTON, Reggie B. appointed by George W. Bush
We have been repeatedly told for, oh, over two centuries, that when you leave the United States, you don’t take the Constitution with you. IMHO, everything OUTSIDE the US and its territories is fair game for intel types, using whatever methods they have on any type of communications on anybody........US citizen or not........
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.