Most Domestic Intel Centers Lack Privacy Plans
October 19, 2010
| 8:16 AM
The majority of state and local counterterrorism centers across the country do not have federally approved plans to ensure they are protecting the privacy rights and civil liberties of U.S. citizens, raising concerns among privacy advocates that they lack proper oversight, CongressDaily reported.
The issue reveals the tension between government efforts to collect and analyze intelligence inside the United States in order to prevent terrorist attacks and fears that innocent Americans and law-abiding groups are being improperly spied upon.
After the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the U.S. government encouraged and funded a proliferation of domestic counterterrorism centers, commonly referred to as state and local homeland security fusion centers.
Although 72 centers now exist, only 28 have privacy and civil liberties plans approved by the Homeland Security Department, CongressDaily has learned. DHS serves as the lead federal agency coordinating and funding the centers.
To address the issue, DHS this year began restricting the ability of centers to use state homeland security grants until they have an approved privacy and civil liberties plan.
"We've been complaining about the lack of a governance structure over fusion centers for a few years now," Michael German, policy counsel for the ACLU and former FBI special agent, said in an interview. To read more, click here. (Subscription required)
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