[IP] Did wiretap laws put soldiers at risk?

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

This sounds like a made for Congress event . It may have happened but  
the timing suggests PR.

Begin forwarded message:

From: h_bray@globe.com
Date: October 15, 2007 11:43:08 AM EDT
To: dave@farber.net
Subject: Did wiretap laws put soldiers at risk?


An interesting story from the New York Post:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10152007/news/nationalnews/ 
wire_law_failed__lost_gi.htm

Quote:

"U.S. intelligence officials got mired for nearly 10 hours seeking  
approval
to use wiretaps against al Qaeda terrorists suspected of kidnapping  
Queens
soldier Alex Jimenez in Iraq earlier this year, The Post has learned.


This week, Congress plans to vote on a bill that leaves in place the  
legal
hurdles in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - problems that  
were
highlighted during the May search for a group of kidnapped U.S.  
soldiers.


In the early hours of May 12, seven U.S. soldiers - including Spc.  
Jimenez
- were on lookout near a patrol base in the al Qaeda-controlled area of
Iraq called the "Triangle of Death."


Sometime before dawn, heavily armed al Qaeda gunmen quietly cut  
through the
tangles of concertina wire surrounding the outpost of two Humvees and  
made
a massive and coordinated surprise attack.


Four of the soldiers were killed on the spot and three others were taken
hostage.


A search to rescue the men was quickly launched. But it soon ground to a
halt as lawyers - obeying strict U.S. laws about surveillance - cobbled
together the legal grounds for wiretapping the suspected kidnappers."



<snip>



Hiawatha Bray



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