Attorney general: NSA spy program to be reformed

ATTORNEY GENERAL: NSA SPY PROGRAM TO BE REFORMED
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Declan McCullagh]
The Bush administration will substantially alter its controversial domestic surveillance program by seeking approval for wiretaps from a secret court, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Wednesday. The surprise announcement by AG Gonzales said President Bush has agreed that "any electronic surveillance that was occurring" under the program will be conducted subject to the approval of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in Washington, D.C. The program is conducted by the National Security Agency. In a two-page letter to the U.S. Senate's Judiciary committee, AG Gonzales did not specify what prompted the abrupt policy change. Gonzales did say that it took "considerable time and work" for the Justice Department to devise a method that suited both prosecutors and the judges on the court. The change appears to represent a concession to critics of the NSA program, who have charged that it was illegal and unconstitutional for the government to spy on Americans without any judicial oversight. The Bush administration claims that only international communications involving someone with ties to terrorism are targeted. It's not clear if the letter was prompted by legal or political concerns. AG Gonzales' announcement came less than 24 hours before he is scheduled to appear before the now Democrat-controlled Senate for a public hearing about Justice Department activities.
http://news.com.com/Attorney+general+NSA+spy+program+to+be+reformed/2100-1028_3-6150902.html?tag=html.alert

* See the letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee:
http://www.cdt.org/security/20060117agletter.pdf

* Wiretaps Submitted to Court Review, Questions Remain
In an important concession, the Bush Administration has said that going forward, it will obtain court orders for wiretapping inside the United States, abandoning a program of warrantless surveillance secretly launched by the President in 2001. The Center for Democracy & Technology welcomes this announcement. It is a victory for the Constitution and will strengthen the national security. However, the Attorney General's cryptic letter announcing the change leaves many questions unanswered. Further congressional oversight and decisions on the merits of various pending lawsuits are still needed.
http://www.cdt.org/

* Warrantless Wiretaps to Cease
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116906785507379336.html?mod=todays_us_page_one

* Court Will Oversee Wiretap Program
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/17/AR2007011701256.html

* Court to Oversee U.S. Wiretapping in Terror Cases
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/washington/18intel.html?ref=todayspaper

* White House Retreats Under Pressure
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/washington/18assess.html

* A Spy Program in From the Cold
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/18/opinion/18thu1.html

* Court to oversee wiretap program
http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20070118/1a_lede18_dom.art.htm

* U.S. ceases warrantless spy operation
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-spying18jan18,1,675221.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage