Pentagon gets some Americans' bank data

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon and to a lesser extent the CIA have been using a little-known power to look at the banking and credit records of hundreds of Americans and others suspected of terrorism or espionage within the United States, officials said Saturday.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Saturday the Defense Department "makes requests for information under authorities of the National Security Letter statutes ... but does not use the specific term National Security Letter in its investigatory practice."

Whitman did not indicate the number of requests that have been made in recent years, but said authorities operate under the Right to Financial Privacy Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the National Security Act.

"These statutory tools may provide key leads for counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations," Whitman said. "Because these are requests for information rather than court orders, a DOD request under the NSL statutes cannot be compelled absent court involvement."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070114/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/pentagon_bank_records

[Divine Discontent]

1. dupe n/t

[ShockediSay]

2. and YOU can be renditioned for aiding terrorism and espionage

if you take action to oppose the megalomaniacs in the White House

Who's going to get YOU out of Gitmo?

[maddezmom]

3. duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2687829