GovernmentExecutive.com

A controversial counter-terrorism program, which lawmakers halted more than two years ago amid outcries from privacy advocates, was stopped in name only and has quietly continued within the intelligence agency now fending off charges that it has violated the privacy of U.S. citizens.

Research under the Defense Department's Total Information Awareness program -- which developed technologies to predict terrorist attacks by mining government databases and the personal records of people in the United States -- was moved from the Pentagon's research-and-development agency to another group, which builds technologies primarily for the National Security Agency, according to documents obtained by National Journal and to intelligence sources familiar with the move.

The names of key projects were changed, apparently to conceal their identities, but their funding remained intact, often under the same contracts.

To read the full story by National Journal's Shane Harris, click here.

COMMENTS

• This is the tip of the iceberg! The DoD and others continue to perform whatever actions they know to be best for the country. They are brave and continue these activities even when the stupid Congress would have them stop. After all the military knows best what is good for the country, not some elected official with a moral capacity to subvert the will of the generals! Congress had to get series and stop funding for all of these programs. The USA's secret police are worst now than they ever have been. The CIA withholds information and the NIA slants analysis to get funds to do what they know is best even when the people they work for (you and I) say no through their elected representatives. Congress has to slash the budget of the CIA and DoD with the specified statement that no funds of any kind are to be used for such subversive activities. Taxpayer Posted February 28, 2006 8:47 AM
• "A controversial counter-terrorism program, which lawmakers halted more than two years ago amid outcries from privacy advocates, was stopped in name only and has quietly continued within the intelligence agency." This is exactly the type of thing that is destroying this government and this country as an example to the world. We have to stop this ridiculous self importance of I know better what you need than you do so I will do whatever I please. I see this in the Pentagon everyday and now we see it is hidden in the intelligence units as well. I saw it in HUD and Agriculture and the President revels publicly that he has no clue (he claims he didn't know about the port deal until it was finished, he claims he didn't know the intelligence info was bad so he attacked Iraq). Why would anyone believe this government, it lies all the time about anything and everything! We have to get incumbents out (term limits), we have to reduce the size of the federal government as fast as possible, and we have to withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan immediately. Our foreign policy (other than giving them contracts for U.S. government spending) is a joke and Rice, Bush and the Christian right are a laughing stock. However, we have no way to get them out without term limits. If you vote for any "experienced" politician you are perpetuating this system of lies, deceit and corruption. Taxpayer Posted February 24, 2006 7:07 AM
• Isn't it time for Congress to get some spine -- this administration completely ignores Congress, refuses to give information to the Comptroller General, and ignores the courts. Let's see -- President Clinton is impeached by the House and tried in the Senate for lying about an affair with an intern -- I think that was the final charge – and came very close to being thrown out of office on morality grounds. How many lies -- how much damage will Congress take before it acts on some real charges? We have impeachment for a reason. I think continuing super secret spying on the American people after Congress said stop rises to the level of a really important charge. I think misusing intelligence to get us into a war under pretextual grounds rises to the level of treason!!!! Congress -- do your job! I hope the American people have the will to say enough. GovExec.com reader Posted February 24, 2006 8:15 AM