SNOWDEN; America govt using drones to spy on its citizens

Edzeame · 2013-06-24T12:57:47+00:00

UNMANNED drones are flying in American skies conducting surveillance on people in the United States, albeit in a "very minimal way," the head of the FBI told Congress Wednesday. Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller said his agency's use of a small number of aerial drones is relatively new, and that they have only begun to draw up policy and operational guidelines for the vehicles. "I will tell you that our footprint is very small," Mr Mueller testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We have very few (drones) and of limited use and we're exploring not only the use but also the necessary guidelines for that use." Mr Mueller said the drones conduct surveillance, but that they were "seldom" used. The Department of Homeland Security uses drones in its patrol of the US border with Mexico. And Senator Chuck Grassley said US Attorney General Eric Holder indicated to him in writing that the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives "had purchased drones and were exploring their use in law enforcement." Concern about domestic use of the technology was a political hot topic in March when Republican Senator Rand Paul blocked legislative action for nearly 13 hours on the Senate floor in protest of the Obama administration's refusal to rule out unequivocally drone strikes on US soil. Days later Mr Holder wrote to Mr Paul clarifying that a US president does not have the power to order a drone strike against a "non combatant" American inside the United States. Democrats have expressed concern about drone use as well. Senator Dianne Feinstein, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she believed that "the greatest threat to the privacy of Americans is the drone... and the very few regulations that are on it today." Mr Mueller said he agreed that there should be debate over the future of the unmanned vehicles. "It's worthy of debate and perhaps legislation down the road," Mr Mueller said. Congress has ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to open up airspace to the unmanned aircraft by October 2015, a decision expected to see thousands of drones criss-crossing the sky within a few years. Their imminent proliferation has stirred a debate, amid concerns they may be deployed to snoop on law-abiding citizens. Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat who heads the committee, warned in March that the domestic use of surveillance drones would have a "broad and significant impact on the everyday lives of millions of Americans." Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian

Thread starter Edzeame
Start date Jun 24, 2013

Edzeame

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SNOWDEN; America govt using drones to spy on its citizens

Edzeame

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