"The FBI produced a self-congratulatory report of the changes they've made since 9/11. It describes the FBI's new intelligence focus. It boasts that it has a functional computer system (which for the FBI is an accomplishment) and 10,200 SCI work stations. Oh, and it proclaims with joy that the FBI has had a 48% growth in surveillance teams and capacity since 9/11. Let us rejoice in the proliferation of domestic spying!"
"But the most telling part of the report is the way it describes its threat-driven focus, then provides a list of prioritized threats. The report makes it clear that the FBI's focus is driven not by what actual crimes are out there, but by what crimes it chooses to look for. And the list of its priorities puts terrorism, spying, cyber-attacks, public corruption, and civil rights ahead of white collar crime (you know-the banksters who crashed our economy?)."
"Al Qaeda-launched attack like the Undie-bomber Self-radicalized attacks like Mohamed Osman Mohamud Spies like Anna Chapman Cyber attacks allegedly launched by China Massive corporate fraud committed by people like Lloyd Blankfein that weakens our financial system Health care scams Drug cartel violence Public corruption Though it appears that white collar crime has, since June, been demoted behind drug cartels and public corruption."
The FBI shifted toward an intelligence-driven mission and established functional computer systems and 10,200 SCI workstations. Surveillance teams and capacity increased by 48% since 9/11. Prioritized threats include terrorism, self-radicalized attacks, espionage, cyber-attacks, public corruption, and civil-rights issues. White-collar crime now ranks below drug cartels and public corruption. The new TCO designation elevates transnational organized crime such as Japan's Yakuza above large-scale corporate fraud. The emphasis on hunting terrorism and national-security threats reduces attention to widespread economic malfeasance that has inflicted major financial harm.
Read at Emptywheel
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