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In my December 12, 2013 blog, I explained how the NSA and other government agencies can obtain your cellphone, email, data stored in the cloud, and information stored in the cloud without a warrant. See Is the NSA monitoring your cellphone, email, data you stored “in the cloud” and your banking records without a warrant?
Unfortunately the scary things I talked about in that blog are apparently just the tip of the iceberg. Since then I’ve been doing more research on the scary activities of the NSA, revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden, who now hides in exile in Russia. Yes, Snowden revealed government secrets, but those secrets amounted to unconstitutional and probably even criminal activities by a government agency. A citizen’s duty to uphold the Constitution trumps his duty to cover up crimes by his employer.
My on-line research showed the NSA may be spying on US citizens inside this country, including Congressmen. See RT article Dept of Justice official admits NSA ‘probably’ spying on members of Congress.
The NSA is allegedly also involved in hacking into computer systems. See CBS News’ report Snowden claims NSA hacking computers in Asia. The Business Insider reported that The National Security Agency Trained Edward Snowden to be An Elite Hacker. The German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel reported that the targets of NSA hacking include leaders of other countries, including our allies, and explains how they do it, including exploiting weaknesses in Microsoft’s operating systems, and even installing malware on computers. Inside TAO: Documents Reveal Top NSA Hacking Unit.
I was a victim of computer hacking last year, as well as a strange (and now glaringly ominous) refusal by the FBI and the local computer crimes task force to lift a finger to investigate, even after I submitted several affidavits and evidence showing the identities of several of the perpetrators involved. I now suspect law enforcement agencies were in on it, or at least knowingly tolerated it because they disapproved of my political beliefs and advocacy.
Why wouldn’t they do something like that? They have so much power, advanced technology, lack of accountability, and many layers of secrecy – a system ripe for massive abuse. Once they develop the systems and the unbridled power, it is only natural that they would begin to use it, not just to fight crime and terrorism, but to target peaceful political groups and persons who criticize government abuse, advocate change in the laws to protect freedoms, etc. After all J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI got away with its secret COINTELPRO program for years until the COINTELPRO burglars broke into an FBI office and stole documents which they revealed to the press. What these documents revealed is that for decades the FBI “used FBI resources to spy on, infiltrate, undermine and disrupt advocacy groups he considered subversives and those critical of his regime. Targets included activists who opposed the War in Vietnam, or who supported the Civil Rights movement, the Indian Rights Movement, and a myriad of other peaceful associations advocating societal or legislative change – activities protected by the First Amendment.” See my blog Twentieth Century COINTELPRO Revisited for details.
Maybe the COINTELPRO program never ended – it just transferred itself to the NSA.
In future blogs, I will tell you more about the horrendous hacking I endured last year that targeted my computer network, infected all of my computers as well as two new computers I bought after the hacking began. Worst of all the hackers hacked my web hosting account and the website of Forfeiture Endangers American Rights Foundation (www.fear.org), an organization that would be a likely target of rogue law enforcement agencies because we advocate reform of the asset forfeiture laws to protect citizens against government abuse.
I reported the invasion of my computer network and website account to the FBI and local computer crimes task force, and even my U.S. Representative, Jared Huffman’s office. They apparently did nothing to investigate, and wouldn’t even give me information. Jared Huffman’s representative promised to look into it, then after I submitted the affidavit and evidence she immediately clammed up and refused to take my calls. More about this in future blogs.
Today, February 11, 2013 is the national day of action to stop NSA mass surveillance.
Even if you end up missing the February 11th day of action, please join with us and email and call your elected representatives. The Electronic Frontier Foundation provided this link which makes it easy to email and call your senators and representative about this issue.
Amnesty International USA is also investigating these issues. See UN response to surveillance must strike balance between privacy and security. Earlier today Amnesty International USA provided a link where you could send a message to President Obama to Stop Surveillance Secrecy and Hunt for Whistleblowers. We can’t find that link now. Use the search tool on the Amnesty International website to find it.
Please take the time to do these two things today. The future of our freedom is at stake.
Update: 2/16/2014
The February 11 national day of action was a success. The Electronic Frontier Foundation reports that over 71,000 citizens called their elected representatives and many more emailed them. See the Popular Resistance article The Time Was Ripe to Fight Back.
Meanwhile, further details have leaked out from the Snowden papers, and/or have been uncovered or corroborated by investigative journalists. Today’s San Francisco Chronicle reprinted a New York Times article Spying by N.S.A. Ally Entangled U.S. Law Firm. The S.F. Chronicle was entitled “NSA surveillance targeted U.S. lawyers, records show.” That headline took my breath away at breakfast this morning.
Thanks to Trevor Paglen who rented a helicopter and did some nighttime aerial photography, we can now see photos of the NSA facilities. See New Photos of the NSA and Other Top Intelligence Agencies Revealed for First Time.
And this is the most interesting news of all — last week several members of the Maryland legislature voiced opposition to NSA spying by introducing legislation curtailing power to the Ft. Meade, Maryland, NSA facilities. “Eight Republicans in the 141-member Maryland House of Delegates introduced legislation Thursday that would deny the electronic spy agency ‘material support, participation or assistance in any form’ from the state, its political subdivisions or companies with state contracts,” according to the article Lawmakers Push To Cut NSA’s Power And Water. Interestingly, in 2006 the Ft. Meade NSA facility used as much electricity as the entire city of Anapolis.
