According to The New York Times, the Department of Justice has denied FBI investigators access to gun ownership records of the 1,200 people detained in connection with the September 11 attacks. Justice Department spokeswoman Mindy Tucker clarified:
[The] request was rejected after several senior officials decidedthat the law creating the background check system did not permit the use of therecords to investigate individuals.
So let's get this straight. The FBI can now wiretap your house, read your e-mail,detain you indefinitely without telling you why, listen in while you consult yourlawyer, and -- last but not least -- try and convict you without theinconvenience of a jury. But it can't find out whether or not you bought aweapon?
The Times went on to note that the decision was "in keeping with Attorney General John Ashcroft's strong support of gun rights and his longstanding opposition to the government's use of background check records." The NRA will be pleased to hear that some of our rights are still safe.
See The New York Times, "Justice Dept. BarsUse of Gun Checks in Terror Inquiry"
