FBI internet surveillance: Is oversight possible?

Wait a second.  In this AP article on how the FBI's Carnivore's internet wiretap software has been replaced by "superior" commercial wiretap software, it says:

Henry H. Perritt Jr., who led an oversight study of Carnivore in 2000 for the Justice Department, said the FBI originally built its own surveillance system because commercial tools were inadequate. Perritt, a professor at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, said he was unaware of any commercial wiretap software that includes audit features robust enough to convince a federal judge that e-mails from innocent Internet users weren't captured by mistake.

"You'd like to have a package that supervisors within a field office and in Washington could do an audit and make sure they're using the tools compliant with the court order," Perritt said.

Does this new commercial software that the FBI now uses have audit features necessary for judges (and others) to see how it is used?  POGO would like to know.  With such a potential for wide-ranging abuse you'd think that there should be the tools for proper oversight. After all it was former FBI director Louis Freeh who said, "[The FBI is] potentially the most dangerous agency in the country if [it] is not scrutinized carefully."

Comments

[Posted on: Jan 21, 2005 at 09:42 AM]

I don't think we should let Alvidrez off so easily. When the OT&E says there are "reports of [C-130J] propellers breaking down and cracking in bad weather," that should be taken seriously.

Frank Alvidrez says, "Ask the guys that fly the airplane." But I wonder who's making "reports of [C-130J] propellers breaking down and cracking in bad weather"? Me thinks it might be the folks who fly the plane. Whaddya think Frankie?

[Posted on: Jan 20, 2005 at 08:44 AM]

I appreciate Frank C. Alvidrez's comments and candor. The dude puts his name down. But what is he talking about? What does the C-130 have to do with FBI computers? Is Mr. "stupid people" not intelligent enough to post his comments in the right place? Lack of attention to details doesn't appear to be a problem at OT&E.

[Posted on: Jan 19, 2005 at 06:23 PM]

Much hand wringing by stupid people.

Ask the guys that fly the airplane.

In comparision to what. The hit on the defense system is that the OT&E people don't like the defensive system. OK the alternative is the older C-130 without one. Which would you rather have your son or daughter drive. Pleeeze. Go find some other thing to whine about.