Security director says US less safe after revelations
Source: Agencies |
June 14, 2013, Friday
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THE director of the National Security Agency has told Congress that information collected by once-secret US surveillance programs disrupted dozens of terrorist attacks.
Army General Keith Alexander said the public needed to know more about how the top-secret programs operate amid increasing unease about government snooping and fears that citizens' civil liberties are being trampled on.
"I do think it's important that we get this right, and I want the American people to know that we're trying to be transparent here, protect civil liberties and privacy but also the security of this country," Alexander told a Senate panel on Wednesday.
He described the steps the government takes once it suspects a terrorist organization is about to act - all within the laws approved by Congress and under stringent oversight from the courts. He said the programs led to "disrupting or contributing to the disruption of terrorist attacks" but didn't give details.
Alexander said revelations about the secret programs had eroded agency capabilities and, as a result, the US and its allies wouldn't be as safe as they were two weeks ago.
"Some of these are still going to be classified and should be, because if we tell the terrorists every way that we're going to track them, they will get through and Americans will die," he said.
Alexander said he was seriously concerned that Edward Snowden had access to key parts of the NSA network, a development that demanded a closer examination of how the agency oversees contract employees.
Alexander said Snowden was a system administrator who could access key portions of the agency's network.
The director was questioned by senators seeking information on exactly how much data the agency gathers through programs to collect millions of phone records and keep tabs on Internet activity, as well as the legal backing for the activities.
Senator Mike Johanns asked whether the government could check and see what an individual was searching for on Google, or sending in an e-mail.
Alexander said once an individual had been identified, the issue was referred to the FBI.
"The FBI will then look at that and say what more do we need to now look at that individual themselves. So there are issues and things that they would then look at. It's passed to them."
"So the answer to the question is yes," Johanns said.
"Yes, you could. I mean, you can get a court order to do that," Alexander said.
Army General Keith Alexander said the public needed to know more about how the top-secret programs operate amid increasing unease about government snooping and fears that citizens' civil liberties are being trampled on.
"I do think it's important that we get this right, and I want the American people to know that we're trying to be transparent here, protect civil liberties and privacy but also the security of this country," Alexander told a Senate panel on Wednesday.
He described the steps the government takes once it suspects a terrorist organization is about to act - all within the laws approved by Congress and under stringent oversight from the courts. He said the programs led to "disrupting or contributing to the disruption of terrorist attacks" but didn't give details.
Alexander said revelations about the secret programs had eroded agency capabilities and, as a result, the US and its allies wouldn't be as safe as they were two weeks ago.
"Some of these are still going to be classified and should be, because if we tell the terrorists every way that we're going to track them, they will get through and Americans will die," he said.
Alexander said he was seriously concerned that Edward Snowden had access to key parts of the NSA network, a development that demanded a closer examination of how the agency oversees contract employees.
Alexander said Snowden was a system administrator who could access key portions of the agency's network.
The director was questioned by senators seeking information on exactly how much data the agency gathers through programs to collect millions of phone records and keep tabs on Internet activity, as well as the legal backing for the activities.
Senator Mike Johanns asked whether the government could check and see what an individual was searching for on Google, or sending in an e-mail.
Alexander said once an individual had been identified, the issue was referred to the FBI.
"The FBI will then look at that and say what more do we need to now look at that individual themselves. So there are issues and things that they would then look at. It's passed to them."
"So the answer to the question is yes," Johanns said.
"Yes, you could. I mean, you can get a court order to do that," Alexander said.
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