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 EPIC FOIA Notes

EPIC FOIA Notes #12
June 27, 2006

More Reports of Unlawful Intelligence Investigations

SNAPSHOT [click for full document—Part 1, Part 2]

THE DISCLOSURE
Documents obtained by EPIC from the FBI reveal at least 42 cases of possible serious misconduct in intelligence investigations. The Justice Department's decision to conceal the case numbers has made it more difficult to know the number of total violations.

THE ISSUE
Oversight of the FBI's intelligence activities since passage of the Patriot Act.

THE BACKGROUND
Potential misconduct during intelligence activities must be reported to the Intelligence Oversight Board (IOB), the Attorney General, and the President. However, there is no requirement to notify Congress of these allegations or how these matters are resolved. These documents raise the troubling possibility that numerous allegations of unlawful investigations reported to the IOB are not subject to any Congressional oversight. This is the second set of documents EPIC has received regarding IOB violations.

THE SIGNIFICANCE
These documents obtained by EPIC suggest a need for increased Congressional oversight of FBI intelligence investigations. EPIC urged such scrutiny in a recent letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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