Pentagon To End Talon Data-Gathering Program
Legal News Center
[##_1L|1140903835.jpg|width="100" height="112" alt=""|_##]US Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. said Tuesday that the Defense Department's controversial Threat and Local Observation Notice system, or TALON database would be discontinued. Documents released by the Defense Department showed that the Pentagon labeled anti-war activities as "potential terrorist activity" and monitored students, Quakers and other anti-war groups while collecting information for the domestic terror threats database. According to a DOD statement, Clapper "does not believe merit continuing the program as currently constituted, particularly in light of its image in Congress and the media."
An NBC News report in December 2005 revealed that the military maintained the database of "suspicious incidents," including peaceful anti-war protests and groups. Vietnam war era regulations limit what information the military can collect about people and activities taking place inside the US, and the Pentagon launched an investigation into possible misuse of the program. According to DOD officials, the investigation revealed that 261 entries were improper and subject to removal. Military officials have also acknowledged that some records were kept longer than the DOD's internal 90-day policy even though the groups had been deemed not to be a threat. US Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) welcomed the decision Wednesday, saying that " Talon was another costly, controversial and poorly focused venture that did not make us any safer, while taking a hefty toll in Americans' privacy and Americans' tax dollars. Without clear rules and close oversight, databases like this can easily be abused to violate the public’s constitutional and privacy rights."
Related listings
-
Ex-congressional aide pleads guilty in scandal
Legal News Center 04/25/2007[##_1L|1288169065.jpg|width="130" height="90" alt=""|_##]A former congressional aide pleaded guilty on Tuesday to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in gifts from lobbyist Jack Abramoff in an influence-peddling scandal that has touched the White ...
-
Bush continues to support embattled Attorney General
Legal News Center 04/24/2007[##_1L|1190161610.jpg|width="100" height="131" alt=""|_##]US President George W Bush continued to firmly back his embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is facing bipartisan calls to quit his job over the controversial firing of eight US at...
-
US law would have denied Virginia Tech killer a gun
Legal News Center 04/21/2007Virginia Tech shooting gunman Seung-Hui Cho was technically prohibited from purchasing firearms after a Virginia court found Cho to be an "imminent danger to himself" in December 2005 and issued an order for Cho to receive psychiatric treatment, the ...
Victorville CA DUI defense Attorneys
The outcome of a DUI defense will have a long-term effect on anyone’s life, making the decision to receive legal representation an easy one. The fact is, most people accused of a DUI are first offenders with no criminal background. Whether this is your first run in with the law or you have had previous convictions, you are in need of a DUI defense attorney.
The charges you are facing for a DUI range from fines, a 12-month suspension on your license and worst-case scenario, prison time. Your attorney will be able to analyze your situation to decide the best way to go about your case.
Our attorneys know the tricky ways to challenge all of the DUI tests and know how to claim improper collection of evidence. We will be able to negotiate on your behalf and free you from charges and help you keep your drivers license. The DUI process can last up to several months, we can make this process easier on you. .