Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 4, Number 2, Fall/Winter 2019 | Page 19

Global Security and Intelligence Studies
Act of 2001 2001 , vol . 1 , sec . 224 ). While many pundits , legal experts , members of the media , and the general public argued for or against the passage of the act , the USIC was generally in favor of its enactment . There has been a significant discussion in the academic literature about the privacy implications of many aspects of the USA PATRIOT Act . For example , Doyle provides a neutral summary of the PATRIOT Act and examines the issue of privacy in the context of previous federal laws and how the interpretation of privacy has evolved over the years incorporating sanction against the government for violations of the PATRIOT Act ( Doyle 2002 ). In Matz ’ s article , the author examines specific issues regarding privacy , libraries , and educational institutions and suggests that the PATRIOT Act constitutes an overreach by the U . S . government ( Matz 2008 ). Even media outlets such as CNN have provided insight into the privacy debate of the PATRIOT Act ( CNN n . d .).
The USA PATRIOT Act aimed to provide law enforcement and the USIC better legal tools to counter and investigate terrorist groups targeting the United States . This law , which provided enhanced electronic surveillance procedures , money laundering abatement , and border protection , among other things , became law on October 26 , 2001 ( P . A . T . R . I . O . T . Act of 2001 2001 ). The debate about the USA PATRIOT Act would resurface in July 2005 as the sunset clauses were closing in on their expiration dates . In March 2006 , Congress renewed the USA PATRIOT Act with few changes , none of which had to do with enhancing the U . S . government ’ s ability to target lone wolf terrorism ( USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 2005 ). Although the USA PATRIOT Act did not address lone wolf terrorism , it laid the groundwork for the “ Lone Wolf Amendment ” to the FISA law three years later .
“ Lone Wolf ” Amendment
In July 2004 , the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (“ The 9 / 11 Commission ”) publicly released its final report ( National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States 2004 , 11 ). The 9 / 11 Commission reviewed the actions of the USIC and FBI leading up to the attack on September 11 , 2001 , and developed recommendations to prevent future attacks . During this same period as the 9 / 11 Commission , attention focused on solving the issues brought up during Moussaoui ’ s investigation by the FBI ( as discussed earlier ). All these topics coalesced to form the basis for the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act ( IRTPA ) of 2004 . Often referred to as the “ Lone Wolf Amendment ,” Section 6002 of the IRTPA focuses on lone wolf terrorism . Some of the changes the law implemented included the creation of the Director of National Intelligence and facilitating more sharing of FISA intelligence within the USIC and with law enforcement . The IRTPA also amended the FISA to fix the loophole regarding an individual unaffiliated with a foreign power who commits acts of international terrorism ( Bazen and Yeh 2006 , sec . 6001 ( C )). Before this change , the clause regarding an
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