At least six years , federal and other drugs have been one billion phone call records dating back several decades with AT & T, officials have taken pains to keep secret , newly released documents show a near real-time collaboration .
Processes from ABC News " and the" New York Times " reported previously known as the Northern Hemisphere items. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Office of National Drug Control Policy to pay , which allows armed with subpoenas, fast mining companies huge database to help track down drug traffickers or other criminal suspects, who switched phones to avoid detection surveys .
Details of the project in the northern hemisphere to the federal government's access to call records , in particular national security purposes telephone records , batch collect national debate . However, the northern hemisphere maintains a database through the telephone company 's call records to the U.S. Patriot Act authorizes the U.S. National Security Agency , which takes a different approach .
Justice Department spokesman Brian Fallon said in an email : " summons trafficker 's phone records are the bread and butter of the tactics in the course of criminal investigations , ." " Record at any time to maintain this program is very simple summons to the phone company to simplify the process , so that law enforcement can quickly switch phone numbers to keep up with the drug dealers , they should be avoided by the telephone company , not the government . Detection ."
The Associated Press obtained a series of separate slides, detailed Northern Hemisphere . They show that the database includes not only AT & T's customer records , but any call through AT & T's switch.
AT & T employees at three federal anti-drug office people working throughout the country to speed up the subpoena requesting the federal government to pay the wages of four Obama administration officials told The Associated Press on Monday . Official spoke on condition of anonymity because he or she is not authorized to discuss the program and said that the two AT & T employees are based on the high-intensity drug trafficking area offices, in Atlanta, in the "HIDTA office in Houston ," one and an office in Los Angeles .
Hemisphere database includes records going back to 1987 , the official said , but the typical drug investigation focused on the record time of less than 18 months.
To keep the program secret instructions "never refers to any official documents in the northern hemisphere , the researchers claim searchable database , " one of the slides . Agents were told that when they obtain information through the hemisphere procedures summons that they should "wall " process made ??repeated summons target telephone company directly or by simply writing the information obtained through AT & T's subpoena.
It was not immediately clear the United States calls on the percentage of AT & T by routing switches , and thus recorded in the Northern Hemisphere . A slide , said the plan includes record " a large number of international telephone numbers to call through the local AT & T's network or roaming on ."
"AT & T spokesman Mark Siegel (Mark Siegel) , said in an email : " While we can not comment on any particular matter , we all like other companies , have to deal with effective law enforcement issue a summons .
According to the slide , trying to track down drug dealers or other criminals frequently use multiple phones to replace the phone or investigation procedures are very useful. If the agent is aware of previously used by the suspect 's phone number, they can write an administrative subpoena without judicial supervision, on the number of records.
Northern Hemisphere analysts tracking number 's call history or other characteristics , its history and characteristics of the phone is still in use comparison - thus winnow down the possible suspects current phone number list , along with their location.
" Southern Hemisphere results can be summoned via e-mail request to return within an hour , including ( call detail record ) , less than one hour of time searching , a slide , said ."
Electronic Privacy Information Center executive director Marc Rotenberg said the program raises some privacy concerns , including if the query returns the call records are similar, but not, those suspects , agents can view the call records of people who did not do anything wrong .
Rotenberg said: "A point occurs , I immediately suspect very strongly , and there was very little judicial oversight of this program ." "The most obvious question is : Who determines whether the correct use of these departments do ? "
Washington peace activist named Drew Hendricks ( Monday ) to the AP provides slide. He said he got them in a series of public records requests he made with the West Coast police agencies , law enforcement has been in Spokane at the conference said that initially seeking information .
In the Northwest , DEA and Homeland Security to make most of the northern hemisphere requests through administrative subpoenas, a slide. Since late last year , AT & T has received requests from the local police agencies in Washington state court order.
As of June this year, the northern hemisphere has processed 679 high-intensity drug trafficking from the northwest area. Since 2007 , the Los Angeles hemispheric program has processed more than 4,400 requests.
Connection with the NSA call records sweeping controversy that some members of Congress , the telephone company records , instead of storing and allow federal agent or analyst requires a specific data when necessary .
" So that each query requires a specific government before the FISA court warrant , the Americans will have more confidence that their privacy is protected , and to achieve the same national security , Rep. Adam Schiff , D- California , said : July 31 statement .
 



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