NCJ Number
192541
Journal
Jane's Intelligence Review Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2002 Pages: 52-53
Date Published
January 2002
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article examines legislation through which the United States and the United Kingdom attempt to address protecting civil liberties and national security in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Abstract
The laws that many governments are putting in place to track terrorists and criminals more effectively focus on enabling wider use of technology, including monitoring the use of e-mail and the Internet. Systems such as the US DCS-1000 ("Carnivore") are becoming more attractive as the only way that governments can keep up with the technological approaches being used by criminals, terrorists, and opponents. New legislation includes the Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) in the United States and the United Kingdom’s Anti-Terrorism Bill. These laws along with revisions to other efforts such as the Council of Europe’s convention on cybercrime, mean that many ways exist in which government and law enforcement can monitor terrorist or criminal suspects. However, many governments have effectively argued that much of the legislation is rushed. The analysis concludes that governments should be wary about trampling on the basic freedoms that make democracy unique as they seek to protect the public from events such as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.