Controlling the FBI's Domestic Intelligence Operations

GAO's comments on draft guidelines that will eventually contain the FBI's domestic survielance powers are presented. Specifically, FBI's procedures for initiating, continuing, and terminating investigations, as well as dissemination and storage of investigative information, are analyzed. Basically, these guidelines were designed to seperate domestic security investigations from other FBI functions of gathering information to: (1) assist the President in determining whether Federal troops are required at civil disorders, (2) provide limited information to the Department of Justice relating to demonstration activities, and (3) provide informaion for the purpose of assisting the Secret Service in its protective responsibilities. The civil disorders guidelines will allow the FBI to initiate narrow investigations only at the request of the Attorney General or at the written request of the Secret Service Director or his designee. During preliminary investigations the FBI is allowed to secure information from the following: (1) FBI indices and files, (2) public records and sources of information, (3) Federal, State, and local records, (4) existing sources of information and informants, and (5) physical surviellance and interviews of persons for the limited purpose of identifying the subject.