The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) believes the FBI may have compromised American civil liberties far more frequently than previously assumed in our post 9/11 world.
In reviewing nearly 2,500 pages of FBI documents from 2001 to 2008, the EFF discovered a reported 800 violations pertaining to everything from Executive Orders to investigation protocol.
However, the EFF hypothesizes that the actual number of violations probably far exceeds the number released by the FBI.
Based on the number of cases reported to the Intelligent Oversight Board compared to the FBI’s own statement regarding the number of NSL violations, the EFF estimates that the true number of violations may be closer to 40,000.
The EFF also cited reports of serious misconduct by FBI agents including lying in declarations to courts, using improper evidence to obtain grand jury subpoenas, and accessing password-protected files without a warrant.
In the post 9/11 world, many Americans seemed to blindly trust the government and government to do the “right thing” by protecting civil liberties and maintaining the pillars of American society while redefining security and safety protocols nationwide.
Sadly, the above-mentioned report seems to indicate otherwise.
Of course, the EFF hopes reports like these will provide more transparency into the bureau and keep the public informed about what’s really going on in our government.
