BRIEF: Inspector General Releases Report on Use of National Security Letters

WASHINGTON, United States – The Department of Justice Inspector General has released a report concluding that the “Federal Bureau of Investigation was continuing to issue National Security Letters unlawfully.” 

National Security Letters are a form of subpoena that are issued to a specifically targeted entity.  These Letters compel the entity to turn over “various records and data” pertaining to individual people.  National Security Letters do not allow recipients of the letters to acknowledge that the letters have even been issued.  Still further, National Security Letters require no judicial order for implementation. 

The Inspector General’s report was released as Congress continues to debate over whether to grant retroactive immunity to telecommunication companies who assisted the government while the government had no “Congressionally-mandated authority” to use the information to track phone calls and emails from specific individuals. 

President Bush has vowed to veto any legislation that does not grant these telecommunication companies retroactive immunity. 

For more information, please see:

IPS – Reforms Fail to Curb FBI Spying – 18 March 2008

New York Times – FBI Made ‘Blanket’ Demands for Phone Records – 13 March 2008