The following are excerpts from "Privacy Journal," January, 1994 issue. Privacy Journal can be bought for $2.00 at local news/magazine stores. It's mailing address is P.O. Box 28577, Providence, RI 02908.
HAL'S COMMENTARY:
1)Since its failure in March, 1992, the FBI still hasn't found a sponsor for its proposal to require phone companies to alter their digital technology to make it easy for federal investigators to continue to conduct electronic surveillance.
2) The military and national intelligence communities are trying to justify their existence, stem budget cuts and provide that all important "cause/purpose" for existing by authorizing the use of military linguists ?and listening posts? of civilian communications by military personnel.
Beware of the gift giver who promises to "protect you," and care for you by controlling guns and socializing medicine (with national health insurance). There exit our liberties!!
"It happens every time. Each time a new FBI director is appointed, the high-level bureaucrats dust off the pet projects that they have not successfully sold to the American public of Congress and push the new man on to a platform somewhere to advocate them.
"Less than 10 weeks after he was appointed director, former federal judge Louis Freeh spoke at the National Press Club, the traditional venue for the Washington press to look over a new insider. In Freeh's talk about violent crime, the speech writers at the bureau included the FBI's proposal that phone companies be required to alter their digital technology to make it easy for federal investigators to continue to conduct electronic surveillance.
""In order to keep up with the criminals and to protect our national security, the solution is clear. We need legislation to ensure that telephone companies and other carriers provide law enforcement with access to this new technology," the 43-year old former FBI agent said Dec. 8. since it was first suggested in march 1992, the fbi has not yet been able to find a sponsor to present its proposal as legislation [caps are HAL's emphasis].
"A working group of FBI people and phone company executives have been meeting to work out a voluntary agreement for meeting the FBI's demands. The alliance that sets standards for the telephone industry is now actively involved with the FBI in developing a cooperative solution.
"Further, the FBI will seek amendments to a current law that prohibits the military from being involved in civilian law enforcement. The FBI wants the change to allow military translators to help the bureau transcribe wiretapped conversations of Asian criminal suspects, Scripps Howards news service reported."
