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AAI Troubled By Wiretaps and FBI Monitoring

Posted on Friday December 30, 2005

Zogby: Further Evidence of Government Overreach Since 9/11

WASHINGTON  We are deeply troubled by the news that the Bush administration engaged in warrant-less wiretaps and FBI monitoring of religious institutions for signs of radioactivity, under the guise of national security. This is further evidence of the government’s overreach since 9/11, and it has caused heightened concern about civil liberties in the Arab and Muslim communities.

We support those who are calling for a congressional investigation into these alleged improprieties, and we support the bipartisan effort to insert Constitutional safeguards into the Patriot Act before it is reauthorized. In this context, we salute Senator John Sununu’s (R-NH) efforts to balance the needs of law enforcement with civil liberty protections for Americans.

Despite the burden that administration practices have created for our community, we remain confident that the courts, Congress, and the American people will assert themselves to preserve fundamental freedoms.