The Search for Terrorists

[Boatwrite at aol.com]

I am certainly no expert, in fact am a bit confused over this question of the
firewall between counter (intelligence or terror, depending) and law
enforcement. The issue of Republican or Democratic establishment of 
these firewalls
has been amusing (except for reports of death threats), but not very helpful.
Mr. Carter poses some of the difficulties brought about by these difficulties
and (though he does not state it) the countermanding rights and priviledges
abolishing Patriot Act and its spinoff policies and regulations.

This issue of a U.S. version of MI6 or leave counterintelligence in a vastly
revamped and improved FBI is surely one segment of this dilemma. Another key
issue is allowing CIA-derived intelligence from overseas to be used in U.S.
criminal cases, and adding to that, information perhaps secured by military
intelligence. I guess these sorts of activities take place in 
Britain, though to
what degree I am not sure. I do seem to know that British law enforcement have
lots of video cameras stuck on light poles in most small villages as well as
big cities and malls.

Now, Mr. Ridge is developing task forces atop his multilayered Homeland
Security forces to stave off terrorist attacks expected this summer, 
even though
the public reports say there is no specific intelligence about such events. I
think it would behoove those of us interested in these sorts of topics to watch
and see what impact such policy developments have on the basic societal
constructs that have been traditionally understood to be the framework of this
nation we have cherished in the old fashioned way.

One can only hope that whatever emerges from all this ebb and flow of
antiterror guarding and security seeking will leave a nation worthy of being
cherished in the old fashioned way.

Tom McNiff

Intelligence Forum (http://www.intelforum.org) is sponsored by Intelligence
and National Security, a Frank Cass journal (http://www.frankcass.com/jnls/ins.htm)