Congressional Report: "Intelligence activity in the past decades has, all too often, exceeded the restraints on the exercise of governmental power that are imposed by our country's Constitution, laws, and traditions,"

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SECRECY NEWS
from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy
Volume 2013, Issue No. 42
April 29, 2013

Secrecy News Blog:  http://blogs.fas.org/secrecy/


**     FBI TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS, AND MORE FROM CRS
**     DOD POLICY ON NON-LETHAL WEAPONS, AND OTHER NEW DIRECTIVES


FBI TERRORISM INVESTIGATIONS, AND MORE FROM CRS

"Intelligence activity in the past decades has, all too often, exceeded the restraints on the exercise of governmental power that are imposed by our country's Constitution, laws, and traditions," according to the Congressional Research Service.

The CRS, which shuns polemical claims, presents that assertion as a simple statement of fact (although cautiously sourced to the 1976 Church Committee report) in a newly updated report on FBI terrorism investigations.

The report reviews the FBI investigative process, the statutory framework within which it operates, and the tools at its disposal, along with oversight considerations for Congress.  See The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Terrorism Investigations, April 24, 2013.

Other new or newly updated CRS reports include the following.

Terrorism, Miranda, and Related Matters, April 24, 2013

Terrorism Risk Insurance: Issue Analysis and Overview of Current Program, April 26, 2013

U.S. Air Force Bomber Sustainment and Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress, April 23, 2013

Multiyear Procurement (MYP) and Block Buy Contracting in Defense Acquisition: Background and Issues for Congress, April 25, 2013

U.S.-South Korea Relations, April 26, 2013

Iran Sanctions, April 24, 2013

Intelligence Issues for Congress, April 23, 2013

Inflation-Indexing Elements in Federal Entitlement Programs, April 24, 2013

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress, April 25, 2013

Prevalence of Mental Illness in the United States: Data Sources and Estimates, April 24, 2013


DOD POLICY ON NON-LETHAL WEAPONS, AND OTHER NEW DIRECTIVES

The Department of Defense has revised its 1996 directive on non-lethal weapons (NLW) to guide future development and procurement of this category of weaponry.

"Unlike conventional lethal weapons that destroy their targets principally through blast, penetration, and fragmentation, NLW employ means other than gross physical destruction to prevent the target from functioning. NLW are intended to have relatively reversible effects on personnel or materiel," the revised directive explains.

"It is DoD policy that NLW doctrine and concepts of operation will be developed to reinforce deterrence and expand the range of options available to commanders."

The directive does not apply to information operations, cyber operations or electronic warfare capabilities.  See DoD Executive Agent for Non-Lethal Weapons (NLW), and NLW Policy, DoD Directive 3000.03E, April 25, 2013.

Other noteworthy new or updated DoD issuances include the following.

DoD Nuclear Weapons Surety Program, DoD Directive 3150.02, April 24, 2013

DoD Counterfeit Prevention Policy, DoD Instruction 4140.67, April 26, 2013

Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Oversight (ATSD(IO)), DoD Directive 5148.11, April 24, 2013

Use of Excess Ballistic Missiles for Space Launch, Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 11-008, July 5, 2011, Incorporating Change 3, April 25, 2013


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Secrecy News is written by Steven Aftergood and published by the Federation of American Scientists.

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