HILL BRIEFS

Another Record Set For Surveillance Warrants

Thu. May 1, 2008


The nation's spy court approved a record number of requests to search or eavesdrop on suspected terrorists and spies last year, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court approved 2,370 warrants last year targeting people in the United States believed to be linked to international terror organizations. The figure represents a 9 percent increase over 2006. The number of warrants has more than doubled since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The secret intelligence court was established in 1978 to authorize surveillance of suspected spies inside the U.S. The court denied three warrant applications in full and partially denied one, the Justice Department said. Judges sent 86 requests back to the government for changes before approving them.

The oversight numbers also represent an increase over last year, when the court partially denied one application and required changes to 73 applications.