US admits spy programmes in move to dampen public outrage

The top US intelligence official has declassified key details about a secret surveillance programme – a rare move meant to dampen a public uproar spurred by the disclosure of the government’s massive collection of Americans’ data, aimed at combating terrorism.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jun 2013, 18:24 BST

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper insisted the efforts were legal, limited and necessary to detect terrorist threats. He denounced the leaks, warning that US security will suffer.

Mr Clapper called Thursday’s disclosure in The Washington Post and The Guardian of a second programme, which targets foreigners’ internet use, “reprehensible.” He also said the leak of a programme that lets the government collect Americans’ phone records would affect how US enemies behave and make it harder to understand their intentions.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The unauthorised disclosure of a top secret US court document threatens potentially long-lasting and irreversible harm to our ability to identify and respond to the many threats facing our nation,” said Mr Clapper, adding: “I believe it is important for the American people to understand the limits of this targeted counterterrorism program and the principles that govern its use.”.

He took the rare step of declassifying and publicly releasing the details – including that the powers are reviewed by a special court every three months and that the data can only be used when there’s reasonable suspicion, backed by facts, that the information is connected to a foreign terrorist group

A top-secret court order requires the communications company Verizon to turn over on an “ongoing, daily basis” the records of all landline and mobile telephone calls of its customers, both within the US and between the US and other countries. Experts said it’s likely the programme extends to other phone companies as well.

Another secret programme came to light when The Washington Post and The Guardian reported that the NSA and FBI can scour the main US internet firms, extracting audio, video, emails and other documents to help analysts track a person’s movements and contacts. Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube and Apple were all included. Most denied giving the government direct access.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Clapper alleged that articles about the internet programme “contain numerous inaccuracies.” He did not specify what those inaccuracies might be.

The surveillance powers are granted under the Patriot Act, which was passed after the September 11, 2001, attacks and renewed in 2006 and 2011.

Related topics:AmericansAmerican