Wiretapping doubled since 9/11 Special court OK'd more than 2,000 warrants last year, report says.(NATION)

0 Comments | Washington Times, The, May, 2006

Byline: Audrey Hudson, THE WASHINGTON TIMES The number of wiretap permits issued by a special court has more than doubled since the September 11 terrorist attacks, according to a Justice Department report to Congress. More than 2,000 wiretaps were approved last year by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to spy on suspects of terrorism or espionage, compared with a little more than 900 wiretaps in 2001.

In addition, more than 9,000 warrants were issued without court approval last year through National Security Letters to snoop through the records of more than 3,500 people, according to the report to the House Republican leadership. "Those are very large and very dismaying numbers," said Caroline Fredrickson of the American Civil Liberties Union....