U.S. Justice Department says FBI misused Patriot Act
{{date|March 9, 2007}}

[[Image:FBISeal.png|thumb|[[w:Federal Bureau of Investigation|Federal Bureau of Investigation]] Seal]]
The [[w:Justice Department|United States Justice Department]] has concluded an inquest into the [[w:Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]]'s use of the [[w:Patriot Act|Patriot Act]] saying that the FBI had been, in some cases, misusing the Patriot Act, sometimes illegally.  
{{QuoteLeft|We believe the improper or illegal uses we found involve serious misuses of national security letter authorities|4=''A Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Use of National Security Letters''}}
Such misuses include ordering the handover of personal information without just cause and looking at the telephone records of [[w:United States|Americans]] during the period of a non-emergency, Inspector General Glenn A. Fine's 126 page report said. 

The FBI sent National Security Letters or "NSLs" to Americans asking for personal information, without getting a warrant or court order, but the FBI failed to report at least 22% of letters that were sent out. 

As many as 56,000 requests per year for personal information on people have been made since 2001 when the Patriot Act was signed.

"We believe the improper or illegal uses we found involve serious misuses of national security letter authorities", said the inquest.

[[w:Robert Mueller|Robert Mueller]] the director of the FBI, says that he is responsible for not taking better measures to prevent the violations.

"I am to be held accountable. The inspector general went and did the audit that I should have put in place many years ago. While we've already taken some steps to address these shortcomings. I am ordering additional corrective measures to be taken immediately," said Mueller who also stated that he has no plans to hand in his resignation.

Mueller also said that 90% of the letters sent out were used in an attempt to track down terrorists who were located in different countries around the world.

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/03/09/security.letters/
|title=Audit: FBI snooping did not follow rules
|author=
|pub=CNN
|date=March 8, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4616343.html
|title=Justice Dept.: FBI misused Patriot Act
|author=Lara Jakes Jordan, Associated Press
|pub=Houston Chronicle
|date=March 9, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2938129
|title=FBI abused power to get private records: report
|author=James Vicini, Reuters
|pub=ABC News
|date=March 9, 2007}}

==External links==
*[http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/reports/FBI/index.htm Justice Department Inspector General's reports on the FBI]

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[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]

[[fr:Le Département de la Justice américain relève des abus du Patriot Act par le FBI]]
Federal Bureau of Investigation Seal
The United States Justice Department has concluded an inquest into the FBI's use of the Patriot Act saying that the FBI had been, in some cases, misusing the Patriot Act, sometimes illegally.  

Such misuses include ordering the handover of personal information without just cause and looking at the telephone records of Americans during the period of a non-emergency, Inspector General Glenn A. Fine's 126 page report said. 

The FBI sent National Security Letters or "NSLs" to Americans asking for personal information, without getting a warrant or court order, but the FBI failed to report at least 22% of letters that were sent out. 

As many as 56,000 requests per year for personal information on people have been made since 2001 when the Patriot Act was signed.

"We believe the improper or illegal uses we found involve serious misuses of national security letter authorities", said the inquest.

Robert Mueller the director of the FBI, says that he is responsible for not taking better measures to prevent the violations.

"I am to be held accountable. The inspector general went and did the audit that I should have put in place many years ago. While we've already taken some steps to address these shortcomings. I am ordering additional corrective measures to be taken immediately," said Mueller who also stated that he has no plans to hand in his resignation.

Mueller also said that 90% of the letters sent out were used in an attempt to track down terrorists who were located in different countries around the world.
Crime and law Politics and conflicts United States North America