FBI’S Office Of General Counsel And Itos Managers Knew Of Nsl Violations In 2005

FBI Communications Analysis Unit Chief Sets Forth Facts Related To The FBI’s Conduct In Response To A Request From Senator Grassley

Washington, DC, March 21, 2007. In response to a request for information filed by U.S. Senator Charles Grassley, the Unit Chief responsible for the Communications Analysis Unit of the FBI set forth a detailed explanation of who in the FBI learned of the problems with NSL letters, how the violations were first identified and steps taken by the Unit Chief to have the problem(s) resolved in 2005-06. Senator Grassley’s letter was sent to the attorney for the Unit Chief (Bassem Youssef) on March 16, 2007. The response from counsel for Mr. Youssef was dated March 17, 2007. Senator Grassley placed these letters onto the record of the hearing conducted today before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

These letters are linked below.

In a statement issued today, the President of the National Whistleblower Center (who also serves as Mr. Youssef’s lead attorney) issued the following statement:

The record is clear. In 2005 Mr. Youssef identified the problem(s) with the NSL letters and aggressively sought corrective action within the FBI. He made FBI managers fully aware of the problem well over one year before the Inspector General issued his report. One can only hope that the FBI will undertake the systemic corrective actions necessary to prevent further abuses.

E-mails exist which fully document the nature of the problems identified by Mr. Youssef, who was made aware of these problems, and the efforts undertaken to correct the problems. Mr. Youssef has formally requested that the FBI immediately make these emails public. Congress and the American public should have an opportunity to fully review these e-mails in order to understand how the FBI permitted violations of law to remain uncorrected for nearly two years.

Links:
• March 16, 2007 letter from Charles Grassley to Stephen Kohn -- http://www.whistleblowers.org/2007-03-16_CEG_to_Kohn.pdf
• March 19, 2007 letter from Stephen Kohn to Charles Grassley -- http://www.whistleblowers.org/2007-03-19_Kohn_to_CEG.pdf
• March 21, 2007 Grassley Opening Statement -- http://www.whistleblowers.org/Opening_Statement.htm

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Contact Information

Stephen Kohn

Executive Director

National Whistleblower Center

Contact via E-mail