news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051214/ts_nm/security_pentagon_spying_dc
The database, obtained by the network, lists 1,500 "suspicious incidents" across the United States over a 10-month period and includes four dozen anti-war meetings or protests, some aimed at military recruiting, NBC's Nightly News said. The network said the document was the first inside look at how the Pentag on has stepped up intelligence collection in the United States since the September 11, 2001, attacks. The report quoted what it said was a secret briefing document as concludi ng: "We have noted increased communication between protest groups using the Internet," but not a "significant connection" between incidents. Americans have been wary of any monitoring of anti-war activities since t he Vietnam era when it was learned that the Pentagon spied on anti-war a nd civil rights groups and individuals. Congress held hearings in the 19 70s and recommended strict limits on military spying inside the United S tates. A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the NBC report about the data base.
Department of Defense uses counterintelligence and law enforcement information properly collect ed by law enforcement agencies. "The use of this information is subject to strict limitations, particular ly the information must be related to missions relating to protection of DoD installations, interests and personnel," he added. The Pentagon has already acknowledged the existence of a counterintellige nce program known as the "Threat and Local Observation Notice" (TALON) r eporting system. This system, the Pentagon said, is designed to gather "non-validated thre at information and security anomalies indicative of possible terrorist p re-attack activity."
An aerial view of the Pentagon building in Washington, June 15, 2005. The Pentagon has a secret database that indicates the US military may be collecting information on Americans who oppose the Iraq war and may be also monitoring peace demonstrations, NBC reported on Tuesday.
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