Officials vow not to abuse powers of anti-terrorism law

As President Bush signed the anti-terrorism bill into law Friday, Justice Department officials worked to assuage civil liberties concerns and the new police powers granted in the law and stressing the need for speedy and effective use of the powers.

"As of today, we're changing the laws governing information sharing. And as importantly, we're changing the culture of our various agencies that fight terrorism," Bush said during the White House signing ceremony. "As of today, we'll be able to better meet the technological challenges posed by this proliferation of communications technology."

Separately, Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson told the National Association of Counties' (NACo) Homeland Security Task Force that "the walls that have separated" state and federal information sharing are crumbling. He said 94 anti-terrorism task forces comprised of federal, state and local law enforcement officials will begin using their new powers immediately.

"All of our components have been put on notice ... that the zeal to obtain a conviction should not deter, in any way, the release of information," Thompson said. But he also indicated that federal agencies might not share all information with local authorities.

Thompson said FBI Director Robert Mueller has asked local officials to designate two people to serve on the national "command center" that will coordinate all investigations into potential terrorist threats. The FBI also has added more details to its National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Local officials now will have access to more background information to the computer database of information on potential terrorists.

Thompson added that the Justice Department is working to strengthen immigration laws and border control. "Some new measures will be announced soon on what we are doing" in that area, he said. On Capitol Hill, meanwhile, lawmakers such as Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., are proposing legislation that would make biometric identification cards mandatory for immigrants in an effort to better track their movements.

Prince George's County Executive Wayne Curry voiced concern that the increased surveillance and detention powers in the anti-terrorism package could undermine civil liberties. But Thompson said that even while his department will be "aggressive" in using the new tools, "we are mindful [that] we need to be concerned about the basic freedoms of our citizens."

Bush emphasized that point at the White House, too. And, speaking after the signing, House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., said that he would assign one staff aide to be devoted to full-time oversight of the Justice Department's new surveillance powers.

At the NACo conference, Capt. Mark Penn, deputy coordinator of emergency services for Arlington County, Va., encouraged states to review their Y2K-preparedness plans to ensure that emergency plans built on that issue can be used in case of terrorist incidents like those of Sept. 11.

Arlington County did just that when one of four planes hijacked that day crashed into the Pentagon, Penn said. "That's what helped and made this [response] successful," he added.

Also speaking at the conference, Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge said he would like to create his own homeland security task force comprised of state and local officials. NACo presented to Ridge a list of five items to consider, including the creation of such a task force.