SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, former President Bush introduced the controversial Patriot Act, which caused many problems in and outside the country. Section 215 of the Surveillance Act was amended, which demands the business record, while the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) did not grant the government any authority to compel the production of such records. There are contradictions and many flaws in the US’s intelligence surveillance system, which continue to alienate the citizens from the state. Not all things are going in the right direction with the operational method of Executive Order 12333, Sections 215 and 702 of the Surveillance Act. FISA is not the only legal authority governing foreign intelligence activities; other statutes and executive orders also spread blankets, covering other facets of intelligence operations.
A recent research report by theDon’t Spy on Us Campaignnoted: “The Snowden revelations regarding the scope of GCHQ surveillance under TEMPORA have highlighted the use of warrants for the interception of so-called ‘external communications’ under section 8(4) RIPA (Regulations of Investigatory Power Act, 2000. It is now clear that section 8(4) warrants have been used as the basis for the mass interception by the GCHQ of millions of private communications as well as its bulk collection of communications data.”
Under a 2010 certification approved by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), NSA was permitted to spy on 193 foreign governments as well as foreign factions, political organisations and other entities, Washington Post reported.
It has been learnt that Pakistan is under sheer spying. The United States has increased its spying operation on Pakistan, a US regional ally, according to top-secret budget documents. In a series of revelations that have put the US intelligence community under a spotlight. The world should together work on a treaty that force US to stop interfering in public lives and internal affairs of the country.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
