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Commission to recommend domestic spy agency { April 16 2004 }

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   http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-domestic-spying,1,2624225.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-domestic-spying,1,2624225.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

Current, Ex-Spy Officials Oppose Agency
By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press Writer

1:22 PM PDT, April 16, 2004

WASHINGTON — While the Sept. 11 commission appears likely to recommend an overhaul of U.S. intelligence agencies, the idea that a separate domestic spy agency be created outside the FBI is meeting strong opposition from current and former officials.

FBI Director Robert Mueller, former Director Louis Freeh, Attorney General John Ashcroft, his predecessor Janet Reno and CIA Director George Tenet all recommended against a new homeland spy agency in testimony before the panel this week.

In a rare alignment, the position of the five on the issue dovetails with that of the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU maintains that such an agency could evolve into the ultimate Big Brother, with power to launch covert activities against U.S. citizens, dig into private lives and conduct surveillance without legal cause.

"Even during the most frigid days of the Cold War, we never saw the need to create a secret police force that would work outside the constraints of the Constitution," ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said.

In testimony before the 9/11 panel, Freeh said: "Americans, I don't think, like secret police."

Yet given the FBI's multiple failures prior to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, questions remain whether an agency devoted for decades to law enforcement can make intelligence a mission of equal or greater importance.

Former Rep. Lee Hamilton, vice chairman of the commission, said it appears Mueller "is moving in the right direction and has made much progress" in building a new intelligence capability at the FBI.

"The key question for us is whether he can succeed with the very difficult mission that he has set out, and we have not come to a judgment with respect to that," said Hamilton, D-Ind.

Some members of Congress don't believe an FBI transformation is possible. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., has been pushing for months for a new Homeland Intelligence Agency that would have no law enforcement duties or powers.

"This is a structural problem," Edwards said. "We have a law enforcement agency trying to do something they are not suited to do, which is domestic intelligence."

The proposal would set up an organization similar to Britain's Security Service, known as MI5, which collects, analyzes and disseminates intelligence aimed at disrupting terrorism, espionage and sabotage directed against Britain. It has no law enforcement powers.

Mueller has been battling hard to squelch the idea on Capitol Hill and in public appearances. In testimony this week, he sketched out a number of initiatives aimed at augmenting the bureau's intelligence work, including the hiring of hundreds of analysts, establishing a separate intelligence division, setting up intelligence groups in all 56 field offices and improving intelligence training for agents.

In addition, Mueller and CIA Director Tenet have been putting together a Terrorist Threat Integration Center to act as a single fusion and dissemination point for the intelligence gathered overseas by the CIA and other agencies and by the FBI at home.

"The FBI's strength always has been, is, and will be in the collection of information," Mueller said. "Our weakness has been in the integration, analysis and dissemination of that information. And we are addressing these weaknesses."

Several members of the Sept. 11 commission have indicated they favor broad recommendations to overhaul the CIA and other intelligence agencies. Former Navy Secretary John Lehman, for instance, said this week, "There is a train coming down the track. There are going to be very real changes made."

One proposal that surfaced months ago was to create a single high-level intelligence position with powers over all the 15 or so U.S. intelligence agencies, including their budgets. The idea has primarily involved the CIA and others involved in overseas intelligence work rather than the FBI, and Tenet said this week that any overhaul should keep that separation intact.

"We operate with a certain degree of impunity with regard to other countries' laws," Tenet said of the CIA. "Since we're operating clandestinely and collecting clandestinely, and we're not going to a judge. ... It's a different context for us."

President Bush has said he's open to changes in the intelligence structure. White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters Friday that Bush has made no decision about the possible overhaul and will await the commission's recommendations before acting.

"Certainly, we never rule out anything when it comes to taking steps to protect the American people," McClellan said.

* __

On the Net:

FBI: http://www.fbi.gov

9/11 commission: http://www.9-11commission.gov



Commission to recommend domestic spy agency { April 16 2004 }
Kerry urges swift action on 911 report { July 27 2004 }
Overhaul of congressional panels urged by commission { July 23 2004 }
Panel dismayed by bush reaction to intel czar { August 4 2004 }
Panel leader praises plan for cia split { August 25 2004 }
Panel recommends intelligence czar
Rebellious republicans derail 911 reform

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