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Surveillance Plan Worries GOP Senator

By Dan Eggen and Robert O'Harrow Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, January 22, 2003; Page A13

In a letter to Attorney General John D. Ashcroft, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) alleged that the Justice Department and FBI are more extensively exploring the use of the Total Information Awareness program than they have previously acknowledged.

[...]  Bush administration officials have said that the criticism is overblown and that the project is designed only to thwart terrorist activity overseas. But in response to questions from Grassley, Defense Department Inspector General Joseph E. Schmitz acknowledged that several domestic agencies, including the Justice Department, FBI and Department of Homeland Security, have talked with the Pentagon about the project.

Schmitz also confirmed that the FBI is negotiating a formal agreement "for possible experimentation with TIA technology in the future," according to a copy of his response.