14 DAY TRIAL // On one side, the media keeps reporting on leaked NSA documents, while on the other, the Director of National Intelligence declassifies his own set of documents.
According to the files that James Clapper made public, the NSA was first given the green light to collect communication data in bulk following the 9/11 attacks. The authorization was given, as suspected, by former President George W. Bush. The stamp of approval was given on bulk collection of Internet and phone metadata.
Bush was closely involved in the programs as he had to issue authorizations every 30 to 60 days.
“Although the precise terms changed over time, each presidential authorization required the minimization of information collected concerning American citizens to the extent consistent with the effective accomplishment of the mission of detection and prevention of acts of terrorism within the United States. NSA also applied additional internal constraints on the presidentially-authorized activities,” the announcement blog post reads.
In time, the president’s office moved the responsibility over to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which even to this day, has to reissue clearance for the programs every few months.
“The bulk collection of telephony metadata transitioned to the authority of the FISA in May 2006 and is collected pursuant to section 501 of FISA. The bulk collection of Internet metadata was transitioned to the authority of the FISA in July 2004 and was collected pursuant to section 402 of FISA. In December 2011, the U.S. Government decided to not seek reauthorization of the bulk collection of Internet metadata,” Clapper states.
In the past several months, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence has declassified a wide range of documents related to the country’s mass surveillance practices. This has been done following a number of requests, as well as because of the reports based on Edward Snowden’s leaked documents.