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Two points: 1) the parallel construction headlines were not from the Snowden disclosures, they were from documents independently obtained by Reuters[1]. 2) Thi

Two points: 1) the parallel construction headlines were not from the Snowden disclosures, they were from documents independently obtained by Reuters[1]. 2) This is what the original article actually had to say about NSA involvement in parallel construction (emphasis mine): "Today, the SOD offers at least three services to federal, state and local law enforcement agents: coordinating international investigations such as the Bout case; distributing tips from overseas NSA intercepts, informants, foreign law enforcement partners and domestic wiretaps; and circulating tips from a massive database known as DICE." ... "Wiretap tips forwarded by the SOD usually come from foreign governments, U.S. intelligence agencies or court-authorized domestic phone recordings. Because warrantless eavesdropping on Americans is illegal, tips from intelligence agencies are generally not forwarded to the SOD until a caller's citizenship can be verified, according to one senior law enforcement official and one former U.S. military intelligence analyst." [1] http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE97409R20130805?irpc=932 http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE97409R20130805?irpc...

CamperBob2 12y ago
Two points: 1) the parallel construction headlines were not from the Snowden disclosures, they were from documents independently obtained by Reuters[1]. Ah, I stand corrected, thanks. I didn't know that. It's not the least bit material, but I'll be careful not to credit/blame Snowden for bringing us this little tidbit of knowledge in the future. 2) This is what the original article actually had to say about NSA involvement in parallel construction (emphasis mine): "Today, the SOD offers at least three services to federal, state and local law enforcement agents: coordinating international investigations such as the Bout case; distributing tips from overseas NSA intercepts, informants, foreign law enforcement partners and domestic wiretaps; and circulating tips from a massive database known as DICE." Only the article's second sentence matters, as far as I'm concerned: Although these cases rarely involve national security issues, documents reviewed by Reuters show that law enforcement agents have been directed to conceal how such investigations (of American citizens) truly begin - not only from defense lawyers but also sometimes from prosecutors and judges. And with respect to "Wiretap tips forwarded by the SOD usually come from foreign governments, U.S. intelligence agencies or court-authorized domestic phone recordings. Because warrantless eavesdropping on Americans is illegal, tips from intelligence agencies are generally not forwarded to the SOD until a caller's citizenship can be verified, according to one senior law enforcement official and one former U.S. military intelligence analyst." These people break countless laws and tell countless lies every day, with total impunity even when said lies are told before Congress. Excuse me if I don't believe "one senior law enforcement official and one former intelligence analyst" for one minute. Give me one reason to.

CamperBob2 12y ago

Two points: 1) the parallel construction headlines were not from the Snowden disclosures, they were from documents independently obtained by Reuters[1]. Ah, I stand corrected, thanks. I didn't know that. It's not the least bit material, but I'll be careful not to credit/blame Snowden for bringing us this little tidbit of knowledge in the future. 2) This is what the original article actually had to say about NSA involvement in parallel construction (emphasis mine): "Today, the SOD offers at least three services to federal, state and local law enforcement agents: coordinating international investigations such as the Bout case; distributing tips from overseas NSA intercepts, informants, foreign law enforcement partners and domestic wiretaps; and circulating tips from a massive database known as DICE." Only the article's second sentence matters, as far as I'm concerned: Although these cases rarely involve national security issues, documents reviewed by Reuters show that law enforcement agents have been directed to conceal how such investigations (of American citizens) truly begin - not only from defense lawyers but also sometimes from prosecutors and judges. And with respect to "Wiretap tips forwarded by the SOD usually come from foreign governments, U.S. intelligence agencies or court-authorized domestic phone recordings. Because warrantless eavesdropping on Americans is illegal, tips from intelligence agencies are generally not forwarded to the SOD until a caller's citizenship can be verified, according to one senior law enforcement official and one former U.S. military intelligence analyst." These people break countless laws and tell countless lies every day, with total impunity even when said lies are told before Congress. Excuse me if I don't believe "one senior law enforcement official and one former intelligence analyst" for one minute. Give me one reason to.