US Civil Society Demand To Know If They Were Spied On: ‘Core American Principles’ At Stake

Nearly 40 US civil society groups – including some household names in consumer protection – today sent a letter to the heads of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) demanding to know if their activities related to US trade policy have been spied on. The groups said core American principles are at stake and that they have a right to the assurance that their operations are not under surveillance by US government agencies.

The 12 November letter to NSA Director General Keith Alexander and USTR Michael Froman is here [pdf].

According to the letter, concerns arose after 3 November reports in the New York Times that “wide-reaching efforts by the National Security Agency to collect data are driven in part by the agency’s “customers” – a range of other government agencies that includes the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.”

“In light of this and other disclosures, we are writing to ask if the NSA, or other national security agencies, have surveilled any U.S. organizations or individuals advocating on U.S. trade policy,” the letter said. “We ask you to disclose any such surveillance, whether or not it occurred at the request of USTR; whether or not it involved communications with foreign nationals; and whether or not it occurred within U.S. borders.”

“Core American principles ranging from the right to privacy to the right to petition our government are at stake,” the letter said. “Simply put, we believe that our organizations — as well as all others advocating on trade policy matters — have right to an assurance that their operations are not under surveillance by U.S. government agencies. We trust you agree.”

The list of groups as of sending was: