Congressional fight brewing
over eavesdropping measure


The U.S. law that permits American law enforcement to listen in on telephone calls to Costa Rica and elsewhere in the world may face trouble getting approved permanently.

Mike McConnell, the U.S. director of National Intelligence, has urged lawmakers not to weaken powers Congress approved in August expanding government capabilities to conduct electronic eavesdropping to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Before leaving Washington in August for its summer break, Congress approved what is called the Protect America Act. The vote was essentially bipartisan.

The changes allow monitoring, without a court order, of communications by a person authorities reasonably believe to be outside the United States, even if an American is on one end of the conversation, as long the American is not the target of the surveillance.

However, Congress only approved the revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for six months. Now the Bush administration wants to make the changes permanent.

John Conyers, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, called the administration-crafted measure too broad, asserting it gives the government too much power. "It permits the government to intercept any and all electronic communications from U.S. citizens to anyone even thought to be abroad at the time. This would include reporters, elected officials and political enemies of the administration, for example," he said.

Conyers and other Democrats assert that the temporary measure could lead to privacy intrusions, involving business records, library files and personal mail, with the government having only to demonstrate that a suspected terrorist abroad is involved.

McConnell sought to allay such concerns, saying the changes have already helped close what he calls critical foreign intelligence gaps, adding that the threats terrorist groups pose to the United States are very real. "Globalization trends and technology continue to enable even small groups of alienated people to find and connect with one another, justify and intensify their anger, and mobilize resources for attack, all without requiring centralized terrorist organization training or a leader. This is a threat we face today, and one that our intelligence community is challenged to counter," he said.

Between now and February when the Protect America Act expires, more hard negotiations can be expected on additional provisions sought by the administration.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Wainstein urged lawmakers to make changes approved so far permanent, and to enact additional revisions.

He also sought to ease concerns that approvals of surveillance directed at foreign individuals could open Americans to eavesdropping and privacy issues. "We cannot under the statute, that is not allowed. When we direct surveillance at somebody in the United States . . .  we cannot do that without a court order and we will not do it," he said.

Wainstein says the administration is open to suggestions from members of Congress on additional changes before the Protect America Act comes up for re-authorization next February, but suggests that changes should not be what he calls limiting in nature.


Acción Ciudadana presents
criminal allegations on airport


The Partido Acción Ciudadana said it has leveled a litany of allegations against the transport ministry for the way negotiations over the management contract for Juan Santamaría airport has been handled.

Deputies of the political party presented their case to the Ministerio Pública, naming the top officials of the Ministerio de Obras Públicas y Transporte and the Consejo Técnico de Aviación Civil, a party release said.

The release said a transport vice minister has provided inexact information to a party official and that the consejo continues to negotiate with airport creditors despite the fact that an anticipated termination had been announced.

The airport is being managed by Alterra Partners, and the firm's creditors are trying to change the contract the company has with the government to make the management of the airport more profitable. Acción Ciudadana said that the changes in the original contract would mean a $400 million windfall for Alterra.

The Partido Acción Ciudadana generally opposes deals in which public properties are put out to private concessions.


British delegations seeking
deals that conform to Kyoto


British businessmen are visiting Costa Rica Thursday and Friday seeking opportunities to develop environmentally sound projects, according to a release from the British Embassy.

The event will be inaugurated in the Hotel Ramada Plaza Herradura by Tom Kennedy, the British ambassador, and Roberto Dobles, the minister of Ambiente y Energía.

The representatives of the eight firms are those who form part of a British climate change initiative. They are seeking opportunities to mitigate the effects of climate change, using international tools established by the Kyoto Protocols, said the embassy.


Arenal dumps some ash


The Arenal volcano shrugged off some ash and rocks about 10 a.m. Tuesday, and the event was viewed by visitors at a lookout point and by persons at a local hot springs resort, according to the Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico of the Universidad Nacional in Heredia.

Volcano experts from the observatory were expected to visit the volcano near La Fortuna de San Carlos today, but the event is being considered normal.