Sam Sacks - page 14

More damning information came out on Thursday about the Drug Enforcement Administration’s reliance on confidential informants, including new details about how it jeopardizes “national security, foreign relations, and civil liberties.” The Department of Justice Inspector General released a public summary of a classified addendum that was affixed to a scathing report, released last September, on the DEA’s use of confidential sources. The prior audit discovered that the agency did not properly oversee its network of informants, increasing the risk of fraud and constitutional abuses. The new… Keep Reading

The Department of Homeland Security enacted a new policy in the early morning hours on Tuesday, blocking travelers from certain Muslim-majority nations from bringing larger electronics on flights to the US. The rules affect 10 airports in eight nations, including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Morocco, Turkey, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. They apply only to foreign carriers, not US airliners. Electronics covered by the ban include laptops, tablets, cameras, and larger gaming consoles. They can, however, be carried in checked bags. Officials told the… Keep Reading

FBI Director James Comey announced on Monday that his bureau’s probe of suspected Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election also includes looking into alleged ties between Trump campaign officials and Moscow. In testimony before the House intelligence community, Comey provided few other details about the inquiry and which individuals might be targets. He did note that the probe was initiated late July of last year. “I have been authorized by the DOJ to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating… Keep Reading

The Justice Department filed charges against Russian intelligence operatives for their alleged role in a 2014 cyber attack against a half-million Yahoo users. The indictments mark the first time that any such charges have been brought against members of the Russian government, which is often accused by US officials of sponsoring aggressive cyber warfare. Four people were charged altogether. Among those standing accused of hacking, economic espionage, and wire fraud, are Dmitry Dokuchaev and Igor Sushchin—members of the FSB, a Russian intelligence and law enforcement… Keep Reading

For the first time, key figures associated with the CIA’s post-9/11 enhanced interrogation program could be forced to testify under oath about their activities. During a death penalty trial at Guantanamo Bay on Tuesday, a military judge permitted defense attorneys to call as witnesses four former CIA officials with intimate knowledge of the agency’s torture tactics. Abd Al-Rahim Al-Nashiri is accused of plotting the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole. His defense team is moving to dismiss evidence against their client that was collected while Nashiri… Keep Reading

The minority party’s congressional leadership is calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to step down following revelations that he may have lied during his confirmation hearing, when denying he had spoken with Russian government officials during last year’s presidential campaign. According to a Washington Post report on Wednesday, while still a senator, Sessions met twice with Russia’s ambassador to the US, contradicting testimony he gave to the Senate Judiciary Committee. “After lying under oath to Congress about his own communications with the Russians, the Attorney General… Keep Reading