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Senior Bush administration officials on Monday defended their support for broad counterterrorism powers, including the ability to spy on suspected terrorists without warrants and plans to open an office to coordinate the use of space satellites for domestic purposes.

National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that the administration needs to keep powers it gained from a recent temporary change to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The new authorities, passed by lawmakers last month, let the administration spy on communications between suspected terrorists that are routed through U.S. telecommunications infrastructure without warrants. They also allow the administration, without warrants, to spy on communications that involve U.S. citizens.

McConnell said the administration would lose 50 percent of its ability to track and understand suspected terrorists if the changes were halted. He said U.S. officials used the new powers to help German officials stop a suspected terrorist cell last week.

The law also gives liability protections to telecom companies that assist the government in spying. Because of that, McConnell said the administration has not lost any cooperation from carriers. But he urged lawmakers to give retroactive liability protection to carriers that assisted the administration in the past. Congress is considering such legislation.

FBI Director Robert Mueller added that the biggest concern for his agency is terrorists coming to the United States from Europe.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended the administration's move to create an office that coordinates access to satellites and space technology for domestic purposes, including law enforcement support. The office is expected to open Oct. 1.

Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, expressed concerns about how privacy rights and civil liberties of U.S. citizens will be protected. He said the department has failed to brief his staff on the project. "This raises further suspicions concerning the department's intent. And it's not clear what this new office will do," Akaka said.

Chertoff said the office appears to be a bigger deal than it is. He said the new office is designed to create a disciplined way for space imagery and technology to be used for domestic purposes. He said nothing will change in terms of existing authorities or restrictions for using satellites.

But senators noted problems with at least one existing counterterrorism tool: terrorist watch lists. The Justice Department's inspector general reported this month on problems with the quality assurance of watch lists, increasing the chance that innocent persons could be misidentified.

The lists also omitted some known suspected terrorists, the IG said. Mueller said the FBI, which is responsible for managing the lists, is looking at adding personnel to help ensure their accuracy, as well as ways to improve the redress process for people who are wrongly listed.

COMMENTS

• I must agree with the HR Specialist. The bird singing in the pretty gilded cage is not free. I must differ with Dan B., but if 2nd Dragoon’s argument didn’t make him realize the diminishing of our Constitutional rights taking place today, then I doubt if he will ever even consider any side of this discussion but his own, regardless of logic or facts. The most blatant rebuttal of his position, he expressed himself. “any attempt by the government to move beyond surveillance of terrorists will be successful or go unchallenged.” Sir, with the “Writ of Habeas Corpus” effectively suspended by the so-called Patriot’s Act, how would we ever know who is in jail to enquire as to why? With no jurist review process, who would ever know what abuses to look for? I must ask, “What do you feel about the historical and Constitutional establishment of separation of powers within our government?” How do you feel about our disappearing system of check and balances? These initiatives remove all those. Will you miss them? Do they mean anything to you? Sir, we’re not worried about wrongs already done; we don't need to point a finger or name a name to be concerned. We worry about tomorrow and for our future generations, about the potential for wrongs to be done and abuses to occur. After all, the pyramids started with the laying of one brick. We do not accuse all the security people of nefarious schemes; we are just students of history and know that excessive fear has caused injustices within these very United States. And that freedom is hard, if not impossible, to regain once it is lost. We ask you to consider what we are losing. Tip off Posted September 13, 2007 2:00 PM
• Why is Russia's government becoming increasingly suspicious of the Bush administration? Because it has become so much like theirs. Scott Posted September 12, 2007 10:40 AM
• My how trusting we are as Americans. The Senate gave the Administration "carte blance" authority and it's being used for domestic surveillance purposes. Take a look at the Federal Register and see the names of "Blocked Persons" that are listed as terrorists or traffickers in drugs. Now tell me where is the concrete evidence? More importantly, are these individuals and listed corporations aware of their status! Yet, they are listed based on one set of facts. The United States legal system is an adversarial system...both side must present they case. Here we only have one view..."a government who is justifying a Department that is more domestic spying than intelligence gathering." This is my view and not based on any factual research, but based on only what I'm hearing and reading in the media. The Realist Posted September 12, 2007 10:15 AM