NSA Spying: Whistleblowers Claim Vindication On Surveillance State Warnings

[Hissyspit]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/nsa-spying-whistleblowers_n_3399258.html

Gerry Smith

Ryan J. Reilly

NSA Spying: Whistleblowers Claim Vindication On Surveillance State Warnings

Posted: 06/06/2013 8:30 pm EDT | Updated: 06/06/2013 9:19 pm EDT

For years, four former National Security Agency analysts warned that the government was conducting widespread surveillance on domestic communications. Their warnings were largely ignored.

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While at the NSA, Wiebe, along with Ed Loomis and Bill Binney, created a computer program that could isolate large amounts of information collected by the NSA while protecting Americans’ privacy. But the NSA ignored their program, saying “it was too invasive,” Loomis said.

"We had a solution to this entire problem that would have avoided this whole mess," Wiebe said.

Instead, the NSA chose Trailblazer, a multi-billion dollar computer program that was supposed to revolutionize how the agency analyzed communications data. Wiebe, Loomis and Binney called for an investigation into Trailblazer, citing massive waste and fraud.

In response, Binney and Wiebe were accused of leaking classified information to the press. The FBI raided their homes. Still, they continued to speak publicly about their concerns about the NSA invading Americans' privacy.

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“This would appear to be the hardcore evidence that I think a lot of people needed to start to believe it,” Binney, who was at the NSA for nearly 40 years, told The Huffington Post. “It’s domestic spying, that’s what it is, on a very large scale.”

A fourth NSA whistleblower, Thomas Drake, criticized the court that authorized the surveillance.

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“Why do you need to trample on the Constitution for this crazy war on terror?” Loomis said.

MORE[p]

[nashville_brook]

1. k and r

[Hissyspit]

2. Kick nt

[Puzzledtraveller]

3. k&r

The lid is coming off this thing. I think we are just seeing the beginning.