Thu May 30,10:17 PM ET
By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush administration gave the beleaguered FBI broad new powers to monitor Americans on Thursday, saying the agency needed a new weapon in the battle against terrorism and promising not to return to the file-building abuses of the past.
In a move aimed at averting another Sept. 11, Attorney General John Ashcroft freed the FBI to monitor Internet sites, libraries, churches and political organizations, calling restrictions on domestic surveillance "a competitive advantage for terrorists."
Civil liberties groups criticized the move. But President Bush said, "We intend to honor our Constitution and respect the freedoms that we hold so dear." yea, so did Joe McCarthy
"The FBI needed to change," said the president. "It was an organization full of fine people who loved America but the organization didn't meet the times."
Under revamped guidelines, agents can attend public meetings for the purpose of preventing terrorism. The old guidelines issued in the 1970s were aimed at solving crimes already committed. NEWS FLASH: that's how it's supposed to work
