Intelligence

DATE=12-9-04

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

TITLE=CONGRESS / INTELLIGENCE

NUMBER=5-56256

BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE

DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: U.S. Intelligence bill bolsters ties with the Muslim world

INTRO: The sweeping intelligence reform bill passed by the U.S. Congress this week and awaiting President Bush's signature reorganizes the intelligence community. But it also strengthens the government's powers to pursue terrorists, and seeks to improve ties with the Muslim world. Correspondent Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

TEXT: The focus of the legislation, which aims to prevent another terrorist attack on U.S. soil, has been on the creation of a national intelligence director and counter-terrorism center to coordinate the gathering and sharing of intelligence information.

But the bill also recommends increased diplomacy in the Islamic world to combat the spread of terrorism and promote democracy.

Senator Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, is co-sponsor of the legislation:

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"Ultimately, what is required to stop the growth of terrorism are initiatives of foreign policy, diplomacy, economics, and politics."

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Toward that end, the measure calls for increased U.S. broadcasts to the Muslim world, a broadening of student and teacher exchange programs between the United States and Islamic countries, and continued financial aid to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The bill also strengthens U.S. powers to pursue terrorists.

One provision would broaden the government's authority to spy on terrorists.

/// OPT /// Senator Joe Lieberman.

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"The government will also be able to obtain a foreign intelligence surveillance act warrant for anyone engaging in terrorist activities even if they are not clearly connected to a specific terrorist organization. Common sense, but it is not in the law now."

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But that provision, along with another that would make it more difficult for people indicted on terror charges to get free on bail, have some lawmakers concerned.

They argue the enforcement powers will weaken civil liberties and privacy rights that, they argue, were undermined by the Patriot Act approved by Congress shortly after the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Senator Robert Byrd is a West Virginia Democrat:

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"Given the dark history of abuses of civil liberties and privacy rights of our intelligence community, I had hoped the Congress would exercise more caution, but it has not done so in this legislation."

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Among the other criticisms of the bill is that it has too few safeguards to prevent intelligence from being "shaped" for political ends.

Senator Carl Levin is a Democrat from Michigan.

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"The creation of a stronger intelligence director makes it even more important that we enact reforms to ensure that intelligence assessments are not influenced by the policy judgments of whatever administration is in power, and that a stronger DNI (Director of National Intelligence) is not just a stronger political arm of any administration."

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/// OPT /// Senator Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican, agrees.

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"When an individual or an organization is given such broad authorities, the lines between policy- making and information-gathering become blurred."

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Senator Pat Roberts, a Kansas Republican and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, sought to reassure critics that any shortcomings in the bill would be amended by Congress.

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"After this bill becomes law, we will monitor its implementation and make any needed adjustments in subsequent years."

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Among its other provisions, the legislation improves airline baggage screening procedures, increases the number of border patrol agents, and provides funds to fight money laundering and financial crimes. (signed)

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