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03/09/2004: Fraud & Conspiracy Fraud & Conspiracy

"Drastic" Changes Seen In Domestic Military Operations according to JAG Handbook
from FAS Project on Govt Secrecy

In the absence of clear guidelines and effective oversight, the U.S. military is becoming increasingly involved in domestic operations, including surveillance activities that blur the traditional distinction between foreign intelligence and domestic security.

"Since September 11, 2001, the role of the military in domestic operations has changed drastically," according to the 2004 Operational Law Handbook of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps. (563 pages, 4.6 MB PDF file)

"Prior to September 11, military involvement in domestic operations was almost exclusively in the area of civil support operations. Post-September 11, the military's role has expanded to cover 'homeland defense' and/or 'homeland security' missions, somewhat undefined terms," the JAG Handbook stated (p. 355).

Several instances of "an expanding military role in domestic affairs" were reported today in the Wall Street Journal.

In one case, an Army intelligence officer demanded that a University of Texas law school turn over the videotape of an academic conference in order to identify "Middle Eastern" individuals who had made "suspicious" remarks.


See "Is Military Creeping Into Domestic Spying and Enforcement?" by Robert Block and Gary Fields, Wall Street Journal, March 9, p. B1, temporarily available to non-subscribers here: [ed. this link is no longer available to non-subscribers]

One military intelligence organization with a domestic presence is the low-profile Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA).

Quietly created post-September 11, CIFA has a broad charter to provide counterintelligence and security support to the Defense Department around the world and within the United States.

"Worldwide, more than 400 civilian and military employees work for CIFA with the ultimate goal of detecting and neutralizing
the many different forms of espionage regularly conducted against the United States by terrorists, foreign intelligence services and other covert and clandestine groups," according to the Defense Security Service.

"The threats posed by these adversaries include actions to kill or harm U.S. citizens; to steal critical information or assets (military or civilian); or destroy critical infrastructures."

CIFA was established in 2002 by Department of Defense Directive 5105.67. See a copy of that Directive here:

The 2004 Operational Law Handbook published by the U.S. Army JAG Corps provides a comprehensive map of the terrain of military law, from the legal basis for the use of force to domestic operations to the laws governing intelligence and special operations. A copy is posted here (563 pages, 4.6 MB PDF file):