FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2007 WWW.USDOJ.GOV AG (202) 514-2008 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON The Attorney General commends the work of the Inspector General (IG) in uncovering serious problems in the FBI's use of National Security Letters (NSLs). The Attorney General has told the Director of the FBI that such mistakes will not be tolerated and has ordered the FBI and the Department to restore accountability and to put in place safeguards to ensure greater oversight and controls over the use of national security letters. The following are some of the actions directed by the Attorney General: * The FBI Inspection Division will investigate the FBI's use of NSLs to determine management accountability.
* Although there has been no allegation of misconduct by FBI lawyers, the Attorney General asked the Associate Deputy Attorney General and the Office of Professional Responsibility to review the Inspector General's report and examine the role that the FBI lawyers played in the FBI's use of NSLs and exigent letters.
* The FBI has instituted new procedures to improve the handling of NSL records and increase training on the proper use of these letters.
* The Attorney General has directed the Justice Department's National Security Division (NSD) and Privacy and Civil Liberties Office to work with the FBI in implementing corrective actions, consider any further review and reforms that are needed, and to report to the Attorney General regularly on the process.
* The Attorney General has directed the NSD to begin oversight and auditing of the FBI's use of NSLs. The NSD, in conjunction with the FBI's inspection division, will conduct reviews of the use of NSLs in FBI headquarters and field offices. Any identified violations of law or guidelines will be reported to appropriate oversight authorities. This is a new level of oversight by Department of Justice lawyers with years of experience in intelligence and law enforcement.
* The Attorney General has ordered that briefings on the IG's report be given to the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, Congress, and key advocacy groups. Many of these briefings have already occurred.
* The Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have established the NSL Data Retention Working Group, which is looking at how the Department retains the information it acquires.
* The Attorney General has directed the Department's legislative staff to review and revise as necessary the Department's responses to Congressional inquiries.
* The Attorney General has asked the Inspector General to report to him in four months on the FBI's implementation of the report's recommendations.
The Attorney General's Letter to the Inspector General 07-139
Source: US Department of Justice
