Washington: The ‘Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.’ permitting surveillance of American nationals along with foreign nationals without a ‘warrant’ has been granted extension by President Trump. President Trump had criticised the same bill a few months ago. President Trump announced that he is signing the bill after both the houses passing it with certain modifications.
The US ‘National Security Agency’ is permitted to monitor the mobile and internet activities of citizens of foreign countries and American nationals abroad. ‘Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.’ has been passed for this purpose that provides surveillance without warrant in Section 702. The provision was to expire on 19th January 2018.
Both the houses of the US parliament have passed the bill for extension of the ‘Section 702’. The house of representatives passed, with 256 in favour and 156 against and the senate with 65 against 34, a separate bill as ‘Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.’ only last week. The bill was forwarded to President Trump for his signature. Trump has signed the bill on Friday and therefore the concerned law has been extended by six years.
President Trump tweeted ‘The new bill is not like the ‘FISA Law misused during the elections; I will always do the right thing for the country and keep highest regard for the safety of the American people’ while informing about signing the bill. US president also claimed ‘This bill will help the US intelligence agencies to gather information about international level terrorists, arm smugglers and other criminals.’ The director of the US intelligence, Dan Coats and the Attorney General Jeff Sessions have welcomed the extension of the bill.
After the 9/11 terror attack on American soil, the ‘USA Patriot Act’ came into existence. This act empowered the US intelligence and security agencies to collect information of the mobile and internet activities of people residing within the US and in foreign countries. The US ‘National Security Agency’ collected a lot of secret information about many important national and foreign, leaders and officers.
In 2013, Edward Snowden, a technician with the ‘National Security Agency’ exposed the US surveillance program in front of the world. The program had drawn severe worldwide criticism. After this the US senate sanctioned the withdrawal of the ‘Section 215’ of the ‘Patriot Act’ allowing surveillance of the American people. It was replaced by the ‘USA Freedom Act’.
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