Myself I would spend less time typing and more in research! excerpetd
Nov. 18, 2002, 5:30pm EST COURT UPHOLDS EXPANDED U.S. WIRETAPPING POWERS
A federal appeals court ruled Monday that the U.S. government has an expanded authority to use wiretaps and other surveillance techniques in its efforts to track suspected terrorists.
The court's ruling said that expanded powers to wiretap those suspected in foreign terrorist operations including U.S. citizens outlined in the U.S.A. Patriot Act do not violate the Constitution.
The ruling, made by a select panel from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, overturns a decision limiting the government's surveillance authority by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court a top secret body created in 1978 to review the attorney general's requests to authorize electronic surveillance to obtain foreign intelligence information.
Attorney General John Ashcroft hailed the ruling during a press conference Monday, saying it "confirmed
the Department of Justice's legal authority to integrate fully the functions of law enforcement and intelligence."
"Today's ruling is an affirmation of the will of Congress, a vindication of the agents and prosecutors of the Department of Justice, and a victory for liberty, safety and the security of the American people," Ashcroft said.
More;
EXECUTIVE ORDER 12949 ---> the problem here is simply people do not read the amendments!!
- - - - - - - FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE PHYSICAL SEARCHES
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including sections 302 and 303 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 ("Act") (50 U.S.C. 1801, et seq.), as amended by Public Law 103- 359, and in order to provide for the authorization of physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes as set forth in the Act, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) of the Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.
Sec. 2. Pursuant to section 302(b) of the Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve applications to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court under section 303 of the Act to obtain orders for physical searches for the purpose of collecting foreign intelligence information.
Sec. 3. Pursuant to section 303(a)(7) of the Act, the following officials, each of whom is employed in the area of national security or defense, is designated to make the certifications required by section 303(a)(7) of the Act in support of applications to conduct physical searches:
(a) Secretary of State;
(b) Secretary of Defense;
(c) Director of Central Intelligence;
(d) Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(e) Deputy Secretary of State;
(f) Deputy Secretary of Defense; and
(g) Deputy Director of Central Intelligence.
None of the above officials, nor anyone officially acting in that capacity, may exercise the authority to make the above certifications, unless that official has been appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON - Bent Bill no less !!
THE WHITE HOUSE,
February 9, 1995. - Note the date!
reflects My personal feelings
http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/06/19/alqaeda.plea/, Please read the entire article it will become obvious that the selective tapping of international phone calls by American citizens or not when made to known contact numbers for terrorists is proper and mandatory for our protection.