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I have no problem with "reasonable" search and seizure but not informing American citizens is unreasonable to me. Capturing a foreign terrorist and keeping the fact quiet for a couple of years doesn't phase me in the least, but again American citizens should have better rights.

I too have a problem if they are not informed within some period of time (days or weeks, not months). But I can see some situations -- admittedly not many -- in which it is reasonable in light of all of the facts and circumstances of a particular case to delay a few days before informing the target of the search.

Consider the following example. Suppose we believe that person X is a member of a terrorist cell. If we search his laptop for evidence under a traditional search warrant, he will immediately alert the other cell members and they will disappear before we can discover who they are and arrest them. Under these facts, I think it would be reasonable to get a warrant to search his laptop without letting him know for some short period of time -- which we would use to arrest the other cell members using the information we retrieved from the laptop. The short delay hasn't prejudiced him in any way, but it enabled us to make the arrest that we otherwise would not have made.

Yes, I agree with computer snooping and such. It is the arrest and holding of citzens without notification of relatives that irks me. I would think a maximum of 48 hours before notification should be allowed then a explanation of what the charges are and the allowance of an attorney and family member.

I just can't see terrifying family members when it's not necessary. If the person is not a native American and the cops suspect the entire family is involved then I might be able to see more time, but not for native American citizens.

Sec. 201: Prohibition of Disclosure of Terrorism Investigation Detainee Information. 13.Notwithstanding section 552 of title 5, United States Code, or any other provision of law, 14.no officer, employee, or agency of the United States shall disclose, without the prior 15.determination of the Attorney General or the Director of Central Intelligence that such 16.disclosure will not adversely impact the national security interests of the United States, the 17.names or other identifying information relating to any alien who is detained within the United 18.States, or any individual who is detained outside the United States, in the course of any 19.investigation of international terrorism until such time as such individual is served with a 20.criminal indictment or information.

I see a danger to US citizens in the above section, since a US citizen can get turned into a non-citizen, or alien, based on their membership in a terrorist organization. And of course the government would decide who belongs in terrorist organizations and what groups get designated terrorist.

As long as they say (to themselves) Citizen X belongs to a terrorist organization, they don't have to release any information about his detention prior to trial. He can just disappear.