Spy Satellites Turned on the U.S.

Sept. 6, 2007 — -- Traditionally, powerful spy satellites have been used to search for strategic threats overseas ranging from nuclear weapons to terrorist training camps.

But now the Department of Homeland Security has developed a new office to use the satellites to secure U.S. borders and protect the country from natural disasters.

Department of Homeland Security officials testified Thursday before the House Homeland Security Committee about the program and faced extensive criticism about the privacy and civil liberty concerns of the new office, called the National Applications Office.

The purpose of the National Applications Office is to provide the Department of Homeland Security and civil, state and local emergency planners with imagery and data from satellites run by the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.

Homeland Security Chief Intelligence Officer Charlie Allen said overhead imagery was used extensively after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and has been used by the Secret Service for security preparations for events such as the Super Bowl.

"Some Homeland Security and law enforcement users also in the past routinely accessed imagery and other technical intelligence directly from the intelligence community, especially in response to national disasters such as hurricanes and forest fires," Allen said.

Committee members expressed concern about abuse of the satellite imagery, charging that Homeland Security had not informed the oversight committee about the program.

"What's most disturbing is learning about it from The Wall Street Journal," said Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.

The lawmakers also expressed concern about using military capabilities for U.S. law enforcement and Homeland Security operations, potentially a violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from serving as a law enforcement body within the United States, except where specifically authorized by Congress or the Constitution.

In written testimony, Dan Sutherland, the Homeland Security officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, assured the committee, "We will assist the NAO by keeping a watchful eye on several key civil liberties issues."

Department of Homeland Security officials said that the National Applications Office would review requests from agencies such as the FBI and the border patrol for the imagery.

"We will not be able to penetrate buildings … there could be some infrared capabilities," Allen said.