FBI seeking new powers to get data, documents

WASHINGTON -- The FBI yesterday asked Congress for sweeping new powers to seize business or private records, ranging from medical information to book purchases, to investigate terrorism without first securing approval from a judge.

Valerie Caproni, FBI general counsel, told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the bureau needs the power to issue what are known as administrative subpoenas to get information quickly about terrorist plots and the activities of foreign agents.

Civil liberties groups have contended that the subpoenas, which would cover medical, tax, gun-purchase, book purchase, travel, and other records and could be kept secret, would give the FBI too much power and could infringe on privacy and free speech rights.

''This type of subpoena authority would allow investigators to obtain relevant information quickly in terrorism investigations, where time is often of the essence," Caproni testified.

The issue of administrative subpoenas dominated the hearing, which was called to discuss the reauthorization of clauses of the USA Patriot Act due to expire at the end of this year.

The act was passed shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. However, administrative subpoena power was not in the original law. The proposed new powers, long sought by the FBI, have been added by Republican lawmakers, acting on the wishes of the Bush administration, to the new draft of the USA Patriot Act.

A closed meeting is scheduled tomorrow to move the legislation out of committee.