An explosive 141-page investigative report was quietly released just
after midnight by the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
is an indictment of the practices and procedures of the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security.
While this report provides details of the investigation of “fusion centers,” or intelligence centers across the country under the control of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it provides critical insight into the workings of the DHS itself.
The report, available here in PDF format, notes that a review by subcommittee investigators of 13 months of reports issued between April 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010 identified no reports that “...uncovered a terrorist threat, nor could [subcommittee investigators] identify a contribution…to disrupt an active terrorist plot.”
The report details a governmental agency led by upper management who are out of touch and out of control. Some explosive findings include:
While this report provides details of the investigation of “fusion centers,” or intelligence centers across the country under the control of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it provides critical insight into the workings of the DHS itself.
The report, available here in PDF format, notes that a review by subcommittee investigators of 13 months of reports issued between April 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010 identified no reports that “...uncovered a terrorist threat, nor could [subcommittee investigators] identify a contribution…to disrupt an active terrorist plot.”
The report details a governmental agency led by upper management who are out of touch and out of control. Some explosive findings include:
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-assigned “detailees” or agents to fusion centers often issued shoddy and untimely reports that sometimes endangered citizens civil liberties and protections under the Privacy Act;
- Of the 386 unclassified reports reviewed during this investigation,
only 94 were found to relate “in some way” to potential terrorist
activity, or the activities of a known or suspected terrorist. Of those
94 reports, the usefulness of those reports were deemed as
“questionable.”
- DHS intelligence reporters overstepped legal boundaries, including reporting on First Amendment-protected activities lacking a nexus to violence or criminality, andreporting on or improperly characterizing political, religious or ideological speech that is not explicitly violent or criminal.
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