NSA Assembling Universal Telephone Database

^{Category: War on Terror}

Robert Longley highlights a new report--published in USA Today, of all places--exposing an ambitious secret NSA program:

"It's the largest database ever assembled in the world," said one person, who, like the others who agreed to talk about the NSA's activities, declined to be identified by name or affiliation. The agency's goal is "to create a database of every call ever made" within the nation's borders, this person added.

For the customers of these companies, it means that the government has detailed records of calls they made — across town or across the country — to family members, co-workers, business contacts and others.

The three telecommunications companies are working under contract with the NSA, which launched the program in 2001 shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the sources said. The program is aimed at identifying and tracking suspected terrorists, they said.

Earlier today, President Bush issued a statement defending the secret program:

"We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans. Our efforts are focused on links to al Qaeda and their known affiliates. So far we've been very successful in preventing another attack on our soil."

The ACLU has protested the NSA database initiative, citing it as further evidence that a full Congressional investigation into the NSA's warrantless surveillance program is necessary.

See also:

• Frist Threatens Senate Intelligence Committee, Shuts Down Spygate Investigation
• Specter Threatens to Cut NSA Funding in Response to Spygate
• How President Bush Will Defend His Wiretaps