Thursday, October 15, 2009
Spy Surveillance
In the article, "U.S. to Expand Domestic Use of Spy Satellites" by Robert Block, Michael McConnell, the Director of National Intelligence, "places for the first time some of the U.S's most powerful intelligence-gathering tools at the disposal of domestic security officials." The first objective of the department is to enhance border activity, determine how to secure crucial infrastructure and help emergency responders after natural disasters.
National Intelligence is also going to upgrade the administrations ability to use wiretap without warrants. They are going to be able to wiretap terrorist suspects, which might start up a stir.
"Access to the high-tech surveillance tools would, for the first time, allow Homeland Security and law-enforcement officials to see real-time, high-resolution images and data, which would allow them, for example, to identify smuggler staging areas, a gang safehouse, or possibly even a building being used by would-be terrorists to manufacture chemical weapons."
National Intelligence is also going to upgrade the administrations ability to use wiretap without warrants. They are going to be able to wiretap terrorist suspects, which might start up a stir.
Another spy satellite they are going to use is 'tracking weapons'
"They not only take color, as well as black-and-white photos, but can also use different parts of the light spectrum to track human activities, including, for example, traces left by chemical weapons or heat generated by people in a building."Mr Allen, the DHS(Department of Homeland Security) intelligence chief says,
"the department is cognizant of the civil-rights and privacy concerns, which is why he plans to take time before providing law-enforcement agencies with access to the data. He says DHS will have a team of lawyers to review requests for access or use of the systems."
