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Date: Thu, 13 Jan 1994 21:29:44 EST
From: Alert@washofc.cpsr.org
Subject: File 6--FBI Pushes for Enhanced Wiretap Capabilities

Source:  CPSR ALERT,Volume  3.01  January 13, 1994

             FBI Pushes for Enhanced Wiretap Capabilities

In the past month, FBI officials have indicated publicly that they are
continuing to push for enactment of legislation to mandate the building
in of electronic surveillance capabilities into most telecommunications
equipment. In addition, there are also reports that the Department of
Justice is investigating the possibility of recommending changes in the
law to allow for military personnel and equipment to be used by law
enforcement for electronic surveillance of Asian speakers.

On December 8, FBI Director Louis Freeh spoke at the National Press
Club where he stated:

     In order to keep up with the criminals and to protect our
     national security, the solution is clear. We need legislation
     to ensure that telephone companies and other carriers provide
     law enforcement with access to this new technology.

Communications Daily reported that the FBI and the telecommunications
carriers have formed a working group to discuss the problem and that
the companies might implement the capabilities voluntarily. This
working group has met several times.

Scripps Howard News Service reported on December 5 that the Department
of Justice is considering proposing new legislation to allow the
military to assist with wiretaps of Asian suspects. Currently the
military is prohibited by the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits
the use of military personal and resources in civilian law enforcement
activities. It was amended in 1981 to allow for use of military
personal and equipment for advice and assistance in drug interdiction.

Freeh reportedly told Scripts Howard that "I think that if we had
access to 50 or 100 qualified linguists in the Asian language[s] we
could probably monitor by ten times our ability to do court-authorized
surveillances of Asian organized crime groups."

Civil liberties groups are concerned about the military conducting
domestic electronic surveillance, especially in light of the recent
disclosures by CPSR of the National Security Agency's role in the
development of the Digital Signature Standard and the Digital Telephony
Proposal.

Sources inside the administration indicate that the long awaited
inter-agency review of government encryption policy, including Clipper,
the Digital Telephony Proposal and export control is due out by the end
of January. The report is expected to be classified.

((CPSR ALERT can be obtained on-line from alert@washofc.cpsr.org))

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