From Newsgroup: alt.society.civil-liberty
Ashcroft to declassify data showing how often government has sought
library records
(EXCERPT) CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
(09-17) 12:01 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --
The federal government will disclose how many times the FBI has sought
records from libraries and businesses under the Patriot Act
anti-terrorism law, Attorney General John Ashcroft said Wednesday.
Ashcroft told the president of the American Library Association, Carla
Hayden, in a telephone call that he was removing the veil of secrecy
on one of the most contentious provisions of the law, which was passed following the Sept 11 attacks.
"We're very gratified that the American public is now going to know
what is happening in public libraries," said Emily Sheketoff,
executive director of the library association's Washington office.
"This has given people pause, a sense of concern."
Justice Department officials did not immediately release the numbers
but said they could be made available soon.
Ashcroft's phone call comes after he delivered two speeches this week criticizing as "baseless hysteria" the contention by some librarians
and civil liberties group...
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/09/17/national1501EDT0652.DTL
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