Obama Backs Extending Patriot Act Spy Provisions

[ScioAgapeOmnis]

_http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/09/obama-backs-expiring-patriot-act-spy-provisions/

The Obama administration has told Congress it supports renewing three provisions of the Patriot Act due to expire at year’s end, measures making it easier for the government to spy within the United States.

[...]

These are the three provisions due to expire:

*A secret court, known as the FISA court, may grant “roving wiretaps” without the government identifying the target. Generally, the authorities must assert that the target is an agent of a foreign power and/or a suspected terrorist. The government said Tuesday that 22 such warrants — which allow the monitoring of any communication device — have been granted annually.

*The FISA court may grant warrants for “business records,” from banking to library to medical records. Generally, the government must assert that the records are relevant to foreign intelligence gathering and/or a terrorism investigation. The government said Tuesday that 220 of these warrants had been granted between 2004 and 2007. It said 2004 was the first year those powers were used.

*A so-called “lone wolf” provision, enacted in 2004, allows FISA court warrants for the electronic monitoring of an individual even without showing that the person is an agent of a foreign power or a suspected terrorist. The government said Tuesday it has never invoked that provision, but said it wants to keep the authority to do so.

Not as if it is a surprise but just more evidence adding to the fact that Obama is irrelevant at best, but much more likely a willing participant because he doesn't strike me as being that naive.

At least the digg comments leave some hope as digg commentators were one of the biggest promoters of Obama after they realized Ron Paul (a republican no less! But granted he was more "subtle" and inched closer to the truth, a bit too close for mainstream though) had no chance.

So maybe it is a good thing he supports reinstating the draconian powers, hopefully this will disillusion some people who were still hanging on to the illusion of Obama administration being either able or willing to change anything.

_http://digg.com/security/Obama_Backs_Expiring_Patriot_Act_Spy_Provisions