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FBI Proposes Building Network of U.S. Informants
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ShareJuly 25, 2007 1:01 PM
The FBI is taking cues from the CIA to recruit thousands of covert informants in the United States as part of a sprawling effort to boost its intelligence capabilities.
According to a recent unclassified report to Congress, the FBI expects its informants to provide secrets about possible terrorists and foreign spies, although some may also be expected to aid with criminal investigations, in the tradition of law enforcement confidential informants. The FBI did not respond to requests for comment on this story.
The FBI said the push was driven by a 2004 directive from President Bush ordering the bureau to improve its counterterrorism efforts by boosting its human intelligence capabilities.
The aggressive push for more secret informants appears to be part of a new effort to grow its intelligence and counterterrorism efforts. Other recent proposals include expanding its collection and analysis of data on U.S. persons, retaining years' worth of Americans' phone records and even increasing so-called "black bag" secret entry operations.
To handle the increase in so-called human sources, the FBI also plans to overhaul its database system, so it can manage records and verify the accuracy of information from "more than 15,000" informants, according to the document. While many of the recruited informants will apparently be U.S. residents, some informants may be overseas, recruited by FBI agents in foreign offices, the report indicates.
The total cost of the effort tops $22 million, according to the document.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
The bureau has arranged to use elements of CIA training to teach FBI agents about "Source Targeting and Development," the report states. The courses will train FBI special agents on the "comprehensive tradecraft" needed to identify, recruit and manage these "confidential human sources." According to January testimony by FBI Deputy Director John S. Pistole, the CIA has been working with the bureau on the course.
The bureau apparently mulled whether to adopt entire training courses from the CIA or from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), which like the CIA recruits spies overseas. But the FBI ultimately determined "the courses offered by those agencies would not meet the needs of the FBI's unique law enforcement." The FBI report said it would also give agents "legal and policy" training, noting that its domestic intelligence efforts are "constitutionally sensitive."
"It's probably a good sign they are not adopting CIA recruitment techniques wholesale," said Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists, an expert on classified programs. U.S. intelligence officers abroad can use bribery, extortion, and other patently illegal acts to corral sources into working for them, Aftergood noted. "You're not supposed to do that in the United States," he said.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
July 25, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (304)
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WHERE IS THE SIGN UP SHEET? AND WHEN DO I REPORT FOR TRAINING?.............
Posted by: TONY | Jul 25, 2007 3:08:31 PM
Does anyone really believe that if a Democrat gets elected in 2008 that they will shut down this program? If so, then you are naive beyond measure. Hillary would love to have this at her disposal.
Posted by: John | Jul 25, 2007 3:09:01 PM
It's about time! Like Phil, where do I and my city sign up?
Posted by: Pat | Jul 25, 2007 3:09:13 PM
I think I might get sick to my stomach.
Posted by: worldwideinfamy | Jul 25, 2007 3:11:19 PM
The FBI, historically, is the group that routinely ignores information from the "common folk."
Why is anything different now?
Posted by: Gerri Larsen | Jul 25, 2007 3:11:46 PM
I don't want to experience another 9/11. And most of all, I don't want my children to ever experience another 9/11. Let's not forget these people will stop at nothing to kill innocent Americans. The world has changed since 9/11. It will never be the same in the US. Do you think when we have a new president it's just going to go away back to pre-9/11. Don't be fools. Be smart, think safety for you and your family. Even if that means having informants among us. Folks, be happy, we won the OVARIAN lottery. We live in the greatest country on the Earth.
Posted by: Matt | Jul 25, 2007 3:12:04 PM
Whats the big dillio... if ya aint doin nothin wrong you aint got nothin to worry about... pedal to medal dudes.
Posted by: john george | Jul 25, 2007 3:12:08 PM
What a bunch of weenies...there already ARE FBI informants; this report indicates there will now be more on hand to fight crime...that's all...thousands new law enforcement positions to combat crime and terrorism in a country of 300 million...
Of course, people here read out of context and cry, "omg, we live in a police state now". lol
Phil & Chris, calm down (or spazz out, whatever). Don't you want somebody on the inside ratting out individuals or organizations who want to kill your Mom, extort your business, or sell heroin to your 6 year old sister? No? Yes?
BTW, do any of you know how the democratic members of congress reacted to the FBI briefing?
Posted by: Jazz | Jul 25, 2007 3:12:39 PM
About time. Those that talk about "Big Brother" are also the ones who whine about where law enforcement is after these terrorist acts. I would guess alot of this stuff is already done behind the sceens. Its time to make it legal and give Law Enforment the tools they need to keep us safe.
Posted by: Robb | Jul 25, 2007 3:12:52 PM
Sounds like what the KGB did!!
Posted by: Wow | Jul 25, 2007 3:12:56 PM
Read the comments. It didn't take the Uber Libs long to Whine about our efforts to stop Terrorism in this country.
Posted by: Gerard N. Altieri | Jul 25, 2007 3:14:22 PM
Great! The lefties and the cowards are sure going to raise hell over this but every law-abiding citizen in this country should applaud this idea. There are too many goodie-twoshoes living in this country who do not full appreciate what this country stands for..Freedom and security for all its citizens. May God always protect our President, Mr. Bush..The democrats sure as hell do not want to protect us.
Posted by: Bob | Jul 25, 2007 3:15:06 PM
In our fear and paranoia... our generation has proven to be traitors to the fundamental principles of America.... No ideal or concept is so sacred that we will not allow the fear-mongers to trample it underfoot as we squeal to be kept safe from the great unknown.... James Madison muct have had us in mind when he predicted..."“If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy."
Posted by: Dutch | Jul 25, 2007 3:15:19 PM
I can hear the cry of the American Socialist Party (Dems) now - "Bush is listening to your party talk".
It's about time.
Posted by: Greg H | Jul 25, 2007 3:15:43 PM
This was done before: COINTELPRO. Americans are walking to the gates of oblivion with eyes wide open. Orwell and the rest couldn't be more correct. The downfall of an empire.
Posted by: Joe | Jul 25, 2007 3:16:29 PM
i'm so glad to read that the United States is planning to abandon the old 18th century beliefs in liberty and pursue a 21st century strategy of security.
We can learn a lot from the last century's two great informant-societies that did a lot to root out terrorists and keep their nations secure:
National Socialist Germany, and Bolshevik Socialist Russia. We need more subjects (oops, I mean citizens) 'informing' on their neighbors -- and anyone who looks or acts funny.
The German national socialist party moved to secure the nation after terrorists blew up the Reichstag in 1933.
The Bolsheviks moved to secure Russia after the Czar and his ministers were assassinated by terrorists in 1917.
Posted by: Brian | Jul 25, 2007 3:17:58 PM
Does SS mean anything to you Americans that dont know history? Closer and closer to Nazi Germany!
Posted by: jim calohan | Jul 25, 2007 3:20:24 PM
No matter how one tries to justify this, this is wrong. It won't acheive the stated ends, nor justify it's means.
Posted by: On a watchlist | Jul 25, 2007 3:21:45 PM
This is a good start. Another simple solution is to militarize the borders and end visas from select countries. By implementing these policies, we will be able to avoid the inevitable internment camps.
Posted by: JB | Jul 25, 2007 3:21:54 PM
Not only is there a current book out about how badly the CIA failed over the years, now the FBI wants to become more of a problem.
Paid informants? If you pay me to keep the purple elephants off your property and a month later you ask me about them, what will I say? Do I say there are no purple elephants and lose the $$ and the job? Of course not. Paid informants are no good. And worse, they get people killed. Check on the botched raids listings from Cato. They want to fight the War on Terror like they fought the War on Drugs and the WOD is a failure that keeps getting people killed.
And as memory serves me, this is the same FBI that was all paranoid about "right wing militias" while the 0911 hijackers trained in Florida. Policies like this will create more resistance, and then they will use that as the excuse for more police state.
Many a poor sap who decides to go on the payroll as an informant might end up adorning an overpass when all this is done.
Posted by: Doktor Jeep | Jul 25, 2007 3:22:20 PM
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