DEA Declares End to Parallel Construction Program that Recorded International Phone Conversations
“this phne is tapped” by sushiesque is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reportedly shut down its “construction parallel” program, which collected data on almost all international calls out of the U.S. for 15 years, according to the Digital Journal.
“Parallel construction” is the process by which government agencies use information from unconstitutional surveillance of U.S. citizens in criminal investigations but do not reveal the source of the incriminating information. Instead, parallel construction allows government agents to create fictitious accounts manufacturing false evidence regarding the basis for the criminal investigation, search warrant or arrest.
The U.S. Department of Justice reported that the program has ended and that the database and information has been deleted.
According to the DEA, the telephone data collected was used “in support of domestic criminal cases, not national security investigations,” reports the Digital Journal.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who had previously called for the termination of the program, said, “The American people deserve to know that the DEA engaged in the bulk collection of their international phone records in routine criminal investigations without judicial review. We must continue to make progress in restoring the privacy rights of all Americans while keeping our country safe.”
Read the full story here.
