The USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001) was a landmark piece of legislation passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. It granted significant new powers to both domestic law enforcement and international intelligence agencies. The goal of the legislation was to bolster efforts to detect and deter terrorism, but it sparked significant concerns about the potential erosion of civil liberties.
Some of the core aspects of the PATRIOT act that drew criticism from civil liberties advocates included:
- Section 215 – Tangible Things: Often referred to as the “business records” provision, this section allowed the FBI to order any person or entity to hand over “any tangible things” so long as the FBI specifies that the order is “for an authorised investigation… to protect against international terrorism or clandestine intelligence activities.”
- Section 206 – Roving Wiretaps: This section authorised the use of roving wiretaps, which means that if a suspect changes communication devices (like switching phones), the surveillance order would still apply.
- Section 213 – Sneak and Peek Warrants: This section allowed law enforcement to execute search warrants without immediately notifying the subject of the search.
- Section 216 – Pen Register and Trap and Trace: This section expanded the use of these devices to capture the sending and receiving addresses of email and web browsing history.
- Section 505 – National Security Letters (NSLs): This allowed the FBI to order the disclosure of customer records held by banks, internet service providers, telephone companies, and others. These came with a gag order, preventing the recipient from disclosing the NSL.
- Material Support Provisions: These made it a crime to provide “material support” to terrorist organisations. However, the definition of “material support” was seen as quite broad.
- Expansion of FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Powers: The PATRIOT Act made changes to FISA, reducing the standards required to surveil foreign persons. The Act expanded the definition of “agent of a foreign power” to possibly include U.S. citizens.
Furthermore, it reopened the bioweapons arms race.
All very interesting but I’m sure you know all about the PATRIOT Act. So did I. However, what I didn’t realise was its connection to the anthrax attacks after 9/11 until I watched the recent RFK Jr interview with Tucker Carlson.
In fact, Tucker didn’t know about the link either and when RFK Jr told him, it took him aback and he replied with “wait, wait, wait, wait, wait…really”!?”
So I decided to have a look to see if RFK Jr was correct…and he was, so the timeline of RFK Jr’s revelation is below.
As we all know the attacks on the World Trade Center (& don’t forget building no. 7) and the Pentagon occurred on September 11, 2001.
Within days of the attacks, a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing the powers of US law enforcement agencies was already in the works. Attorney General John Ashcroft, with the Bush Administration, played a primary role in drafting the initial version of the bill.
The initial draft of the PATRIOT Act, which was presented to Congress, granted broad powers with limited oversight.
