FAS | Intelligence | News | 2002 |||| Join FAS

April 2002 Intelligence News

• Secret U.S. court approved 934 wiretaps, searches last year, by Ted Bridis, Associated Press, April 30. "The government won approval of fewer warrants last year for secret wiretaps and searches of suspected terrorists and spies, attributing a slight decline to streamlined procedures that became law after the Sept. 11 terror attacks."
• Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act 2001 Annual Report to Congress, April 29. "During calendar year 2001, 932 applications were made to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for electronic surveillance and physical search."
• Taiwanese American on Trial for Suspected Espionage, by Leilani Nisperos, Asian Week, April 19-25. "This week a Taiwanese-born American citizen is being tried on federal charges of attempting to export military encryption devices to China."
• DoD Announces New Unified Command Plan, press release, April 17. "The Defense Department today announced changes to the Unified Command Plan (UCP) that establishes the missions and geographic responsibilities for combatant commanders."
• Pentagon Briefing on New Unified Command Plan, press briefing, April 17. "The plan we announce today is undoubtedly the most significant reform of our nation's military command structure since the first command plan was issued shortly after World War II."
• United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, State Department Fact Sheet, April 15.
• United Nations Instrument for Reporting Military Expenditures, State Department Fact Sheet, April 15.
• Attorney General Orders New Steps to Share Information With Other Agencies and State and Local Governments, press release, April 11. "Information is the best friend of prevention," said Attorney General John Ashcroft.
• Strengthening Homeland Security Since 9/11, White House Fact Sheet, April 11. "The foundation for a stronger, more secure America has been put in place."
• Inter-American Convention on Transparency in Conventional Weapons Acquisitions, Department of State Fact Sheet, April 9. "To date, the Convention has been signed by 20 OAS member states, including all major hemispheric conventional weapons importers and exporters."
• Statement of Attorney General Ashcroft on Islamic Group Indictment, press briefing, April 9. "This afternoon, I am announcing the indictment of four associates of Sheikh Abdel Rahman, a leader of the designated terrorist organization the Islamic Group."
• Pentagon Press Briefing: Excerpts on Intelligence Reform, April 8. "Are you comfortable with that notion of having everything go channeled through the CIA, all the intelligence?"
• Statement of Attorney General Ashcroft Concerning the Webster Commission Report on FBI Security Procedures, April 4. "The FBI is the principal guardian of America's domestic security, and its internal security systems must be impervious to compromise."
• Transforming the FBI Security Program, remarks by FBI Assistant Director Kenneth Senser, April 3.
• High-ranking Al-Qaida captive may not give up much information, by George Edmondson, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, April 3. "The capture of top al-Qaida leader Abu Zubaydah will almost certainly disrupt the terror network, but it may not yield inside information any time soon."

FAS | Intelligence | News | 2002 |||| Join FAS