US planning to recruit one in 24 Americans as citizen spies

OneFootInTheGrave · July 16, 2002, 05:33

whooo...

what are those Aussies writing about

Quote:

US planning to recruit one in 24 Americans as citizen spies
By Ritt Goldstein
July 15 2002

The Bush Administration aims to recruit millions of United States citizens as domestic informants in a program likely to alarm civil liberties groups.

The Terrorism Information and Prevention System, or TIPS, means the US will have a higher percentage of citizen informants than the former East Germany through the infamous Stasi secret police. The program would use a minimum of 4 per cent of Americans to report "suspicious activity".

Civil liberties groups have already warned that, with the passage earlier this year of the Patriot Act, there is potential for abusive, large-scale investigations of US citizens.

As with the Patriot Act, TIPS is being pursued as part of the so-called war against terrorism. It is a Department of Justice project.

Highlighting the scope of the surveillance network, TIPS volunteers are being recruited primarily from among those whose work provides access to homes, businesses or transport systems. Letter carriers, utility employees, truck drivers and train conductors are among those named as targeted recruits.

A pilot program, described on the government Web site www.citizencorps.gov, is scheduled to start next month in 10 cities, with 1 million informants participating in the first stage. Assuming the program is initiated in the 10 largest US cities, that will be 1 million informants for a total population of almost 24 million, or one in 24 people.

Historically, informant systems have been the tools of non-democratic states. According to a 1992 report by Harvard University's Project on Justice, the accuracy of informant reports is problematic, with some informants having embellished the truth, and others suspected of having fabricated their reports.

Present Justice Department procedures mean that informant reports will enter databases for future reference and/or action. The information will then be broadly available within the department, related agencies and local police forces. The targeted individual will remain unaware of the existence of the report and of its contents.

The Patriot Act already provides for a person's home to be searched without that person being informed that a search was ever performed, or of any surveillance devices that were implanted.

At state and local levels the TIPS program will be co-ordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which

was given sweeping new powers, including internment, as part of the Reagan Administration's national security initiatives. Many key figures of the Reagan era are part of the Bush Administration.

The creation of a US "shadow government", operating in secret, was another Reagan national security initiative.

Ritt Goldstein is an investigative journalist and a former leader in the movement for US law enforcement accountability. He has lived in Sweden since 1997, seeking political asylum there, saying he was the victim of life-threatening assaults in retaliation for his accountability efforts. His application has been supported by the European Parliament, five of Sweden's seven big political parties, clergy, and Amnesty and other rights groups.

did the country of the free just become a bit more like dreaded USSR or what?

When Australian papers report it, it must be true

Serb · July 16, 2002, 07:04

Only one from every 24?

I thought every second is the FBI informer.
USA is the police state.

People of the World unite in fight against New Empire of Evil!!!

Have a nice day.

Nubclear · July 16, 2002, 07:09

Quote:

Originally posted by OneFootInTheGrave
did the country of the free just become a bit more like dreaded USSR or what?

You shall pay for your insult against the motherland!

In all seriousness, this is....what I expected from the Bush administration!

Aeson · July 16, 2002, 07:09

We aren't that new!

I hope I get to be one of my group of 24, I've always placed in the upper 1% in standardized testing, this should be a cinch. I'd be lazy and not report your watering of the lawn as 'suspicious' activity, so vote for me!

(all joking aside, this [if true] is starting to get out of hand)

Serb · July 16, 2002, 07:14

Vsegd znal chto Americosy- stukachi po nature.

Tassadar5000,

As representative of our glorious Federation in this country. What do think about this?

ranskaldan · July 16, 2002, 07:14

I predict another liberty vs stability debate!

Nubclear · July 16, 2002, 07:16

Quote:

Originally posted by Serb
Vsegd znal chto Americosy- stukachi po nature.

Tassadar5000,

As representative of our glorious Federation in this country. What do think about this?

Lol about what you just said, or about Bush recruiting people to become evil spies?

Serb · July 16, 2002, 07:16

Quote:

I predict another liberty vs stability debate!

And I predict that soon your "Greatest civ of all times" will be another "Stop the America bashing".

ranskaldan · July 16, 2002, 07:20

Quote:

Originally posted by Serb

And I predict that soon your "Greatest civ of all times" will be another "Stop the America bashing".

Aeson · July 16, 2002, 07:20

The website linked explains it as just giving information about recognizing terrorist activities to neighborhood watch programs. These are usually pretty decent programs that help keep crime down. If that's all it is, it isn't a big deal.

Serb · July 16, 2002, 07:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Tassadar5000
Lol about what you just said, or about Bush recruiting people to become evil spies?

About what I said.

I guess I allready know what you could say about Bush, considering that you called him "the greatest mistake of USA".
Tut ya s toboi polnostyu solidaren. Bush tipichnaya zhertva aborta. Odnako chto kasaetsya Putina, to ego please ne trogai.

I really have to go now.

Kropotkin · July 16, 2002, 07:30

look at the last part of the article; the authors name is Goldstein. That's the same name as the great traitor in Orwells "1984" and also a typically Jewish name while he at the same time lives in the commie-country of Sweden. Clearly a lie from the ZOG that's scared of this development lead by the enlightened leader Bush Jr.!

reds4ever · July 16, 2002, 07:31

"the Bushite Terror" doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "the Stalinist Terror" does it? perhaps if a couple ol constonants were inserted after the 'u'?:O)

Aeson · July 16, 2002, 07:32

James Adams · July 16, 2002, 07:39

This seems to be like informers of the Gestapo, US is supposed be free democracy not a dictatorship!

I think that this is a disgrace for the system of democracy government!

Harovan · July 16, 2002, 07:39

Quote:

Originally posted by Serb
Odnako chto kasaetsya Putina, to ego please ne trogai.

Serbu nel'sja kritikovat' Putina, a to KGB pojavitsya, arestuyet ego i povesit na chlene.

Sh|t happens!

Spiffor · July 16, 2002, 07:55

Bush can still go a bit further. He's already suggested something better than East Germany, but you can have a Romanian-like system : everybody (even people who ere not contacted by central power) is encouraged to write reports on their neighbours.

But I'm sure many diehard Americans here will say this porject is absolutely good, and America remains the Land of the Free

After all, when you get to decide who's evil, you can only be good. Think of God

Az · July 16, 2002, 08:19

Quote:

Serbu nel'sja kritikovat' Putina, a to KGB pojavitsya, arestuyet ego i povesit na chlene.

drake · July 16, 2002, 08:20

Who let the morons out?

Like Aeson said, neighborhood watch type programs have been going atleast half a century, probably much longer. It's called keeping your eye on suspicious people and reporting them if one feels they are a genuine threat. Nothing new here.

Thats not being a police state, thats having common sense. Something some of these folks around here desperately need.

Lincoln · July 16, 2002, 08:46

This forum is being monitored, watch what you say about big brother or I will have to report this activity. *Yes, they recruited me, but the pay isn't that bad. I get to keep all of the property of anyone I turn in. LONG LIVE SECURITY. LONG LIVE STABILITY and LONG LIVE UNSANITY!!*

On the other hand, after the next terrorist attack the people will be begging for this. I really do not blame Bush. This war was brought to him. I think that our freedoms are lost forever though. I have a feeling that this nation will destroy itself eventually with the paranoia. In a sense, the terrorists have already won.

SlowwHand · July 16, 2002, 08:53

Pick me, pick me !

drake · July 16, 2002, 08:53

I don't know a single paranoid person. Well unless you count the yahoos on this board.

What freedoms have been lost forever? The terrorists have only won in the eyes of the defeated. And I am sure as hell not one of them.

The Pioneer · July 16, 2002, 08:59

Don't be so pessimistic Lincoln, the good always prevail. Haven't you seen any Hollywood movies lately?!

It's not doomsday yet but I think we should be carefuly not to become what we fight. Anyway if, as people pointed out here, it is a neighbourhood watchgroup thing it's ok.

KrazyHorse · July 16, 2002, 09:00

Call me crazy, but I thought 4% = One in twenty-five

Lincoln · July 16, 2002, 09:03

I am not scared either but the fact remains that people want more security regardless of the loss of freedom. The freedoms will not return anytime soon. They even search you now for visiting a national monument (at least they did on the 4th). Many people do not fly anymore because of the hassle. If there is another attack it will only get worse.

chequita guevara · July 16, 2002, 09:48

Double plus ungood.

ranskaldan · July 16, 2002, 09:56

It's one word: doubleplusungood.

Urban Ranger · July 16, 2002, 10:16

Ah, is Senator Joseph McCarthy in the house?

drake · July 16, 2002, 10:19

Ah is someone overreacting in the house?

Lemmy · July 16, 2002, 10:20

yes, Bush is