9/11 Report: quick comment
Legal Barriers to Information Sharing: The Erection of a Wall Between Intelligence and Law Enforcement Investigations Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
I have just read the document, much of which IMHO has appeared before, possibly in parts; rightly the conclusion needs to be read - as a lesson learnt I hope! Yes, it is written in a prose and style that some will find difficult.
Good catch.
davidbfpo
Well I finally got around to reading it JMM...
and the Falkenrath too. :)
For the first, the last paragraph seems to have little correlation to what the author was writing. If anything, it shows the great difficulties the admin is going to have if they really want to use the Federal criminal process to handle terrorists. It may crimp our intel methods once that road is taken and it clearly slows, in fact did slow our decision making processes when time was precious. I'd disagree with the author's premise.
As an aside, after reading this, I wonder if there will be a time where terrorists will send some of their ilk to US law schools to become their own "mob" attorneys. There are clearly some seams to pick here and a lawyer could help them. With the admin's recent decision to emphasize the courts, this may be an unintended consequence, and a new weapon to be "acquired" by terror organizations. If the mob and drug cartels can do it, so can they now that they may end up in the courts.
As for the second article I'm depressed I didn't get a chance to see that. Quite, quite interesting for me, especially as some of my work got brought up in it (not me personally, but my work ). And I'd have loved to have pinged him on it because I disagree with his position (I'll leave you to guess what I am talking about. :)
That said, I thought he made some good cautioning arguments of the second hand effects that may result from using the federal courts. I hadn't seen the effect on law enforcement resources articulated like that before.
Minneapolis 'home' of radicalization?
A fascinating NYT article on the home grown radicalized Somali youth from Minneapolis, who are reported to have left for Somalia and an active part in the violent Jihad: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/us...pagewanted=all
It has all the ingredients of the process - as the NYPD report illustrated.
The FBI are investigating and the community itself has taken some action, e.g. parents hiding children's (US) passports.
davidbfpo
The USA is different: FBI investigations
Thanks to a vigilant US press watcher: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/us...l.html?_r=2&hp and linked is a FBI December 2008 'Domestic Investigations Current Operations Guide', obtained in a FOI court case and has large parts blanked out: http://documents.nytimes.com/the-new...-the-f-b-i#p=1
Too large, 269 pgs, to readily absorb on a fine autumn afternoon. So try this;
Quote:
“It raises fundamental questions about whether a domestic intelligence agency can protect civil liberties if they feel they have a right to collect broad personal information about people they don’t even suspect of wrongdoing,” said Mike German, a former F.B.I. agent who now works for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Interesting that this domestic issue has similar echoes in the UK, not over invesigations, but preventative activity by public agencies to stop the flow of recriuits to violent extremism.
davidbfpo
The USA is different: LAPD on surveillance
Slightly dated as this was a speech on 22nd October 2009, entitled Los Angeles Police Department's Counterterrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau "Counterterrorism and Crime Fighting in Los Angeles": http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/h...LAPD-Stein.pdf (Hat tip http://counterterrorismblog.org/ ).
Amidst the speech is a section on Legitimacy and Constitutionality and
Quote:
Legitimacy and intelligence are equally important tools for U.S. law enforcement to use in counterterrorism efforts. Legitimacy starts with an organizational knowledge and pride in operating constitutionally and within the law. The need for transparency - being perceived to be and authentically honoring this principle - in intelligence and counterterrorism activities cannot be understated. Taking great care to ensure that intelligence and enforcement operations are narrowly targeted against terrorist cells determined to go operational is critical.
Quote:
The hardware of surveillance --CCTV cameras, license plate readers, "rings of steel" - which has become widespread despite a demonstrable lack of effectiveness in crime prevention or solution is less compatible with the freedoms and privacies Americans expect. Those methods, designed to fill a gap in law enforcement capabilities, are the worst of all worlds when compared with proper intelligence gathering; they are intrusive - despite the legalistic arguments that there should be limited expectations of privacy in public spaces; they are without question damaging to the freedoms of expression and speech that are constitutionally enshrined (unless you are of the persuasion that authorities should be the uninvited guest at the party whenever they choose to join in); they fail the test of logic (can cameras and license plate readers effectively stop secret plans?); they turn on its head the value systems we hold dear because like it or not, their placement speaks for itself -- they enshrine property and capital above human life.
Coming from a police officer in CT this is fascinating and shows how different the USA is from the UK on the use of mass surveillance, notably CCTV. Admittedly CCTV is invariably post-incident and may act as a deterrent. This is regular debate in the UK, albeit on the fringes and in some surprising places, like a conservative paper - The Daily Telegraph.
davidbfpo
Plotters at home (USA) grading the threat
In recent weeks it appears that a series of un-connected 'home grown' plots to attack targets in the USA have been revealed. The first article suggests a way of grading threats: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=114343626 Note the reference to the Zazi plot (Denver to NYC) having a direct link and communications with AQ. Hence the assessment this was the most serious threat since 9/11.
There is a good descriptive piece on the Zazi plot: http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscel...verArrests.pdf This IMHO lacks a good analysis and Bruce Hoffman has provided that - if wanted please PM (no link found for a recent lecture he gave at Oxford University).
Al-Amriki - sealed indictment
The indictment (one probably exists) is still sealed - so, the actual facts and charges are not known. There has been a good deal of media speculation about this case. Until al-Amriki is captured and returned to the States, speculation is what we are likely to know - except for his media efforts in Somalia if they continue.