A new intelligence spending bill (HB 2417) has reportedly just passed Congress and is awaiting the President’s signature by this coming Saturday, December 13, 2003. Tucked inside that bill is a provision that allows the FBI to serve so-called "national security letters" on a broader range of "financial institutions." National security letters require these institutions to reveal their customers’ private financial as well as general information, including "tangible things.".
It’s no news that banks have been conscripted to spy on you. Everyone knows that by now. But this recent measure
"... redefines ‘financial institutions’
that was previously limited to banks, credit unions, and savings and loan organizations. Now the definition also includes brokers and dealers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, investment bankers, operators of credit-card systems, insurance companies, dealers in precious metals, stones, or jewels, licensed senders of money, telegraph companies, airplane and boat dealers, Realtors and estate closings, and the U.S. Post Office. http://www.washtimes.com/national/20031204-111437-5659r.htm By this change, Congress has surreptitiously expanded the scope of businesses upon which so-called "national security letters" can be served by the FBI in order to obtain financial records without any prior court order, without even the slim judicial supervision that was previously provided by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in such matters.
There was virtually no debate on this part of the bill, despite a letter sent to the Senate Intelligence Committee by the ACLU requesting more time and due consideration of this provision.
http://news.goldseek.com/AlexWallenwein/1070995050.php
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