June 22-23, 2006 the New York Times reported that the Bush Administration was monitoring
wire transfers and other methods of moving money overseas and into and out of the United States
.
And the wingnuts came unglued.
On the June 23, 2006 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Brit Hume
Bill Kristol spouted I think the Attorney General has an absolute obligation to consider prosecution here.
Charles Krauthammer jumped in with
The idea of having it published out there, in a sense disarming us by letting the bad guys know how we're tracing their wire transfers, I think, is a disgrace. I think this is the 21st century equivalent of publishing the Enigma program in the Second World War in which we listened in on secret German communications in submarines.
Via WH deputy press secretary Dana Perino, "The president is concerned that once again The New York Times has chosen to expose a classified program that is working to protect our citizens."
SWIFT's (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) responded with
SWIFT takes its role as a key infrastructure of the international financial system very seriously and cooperates with authorities to prevent illegal uses of the international financial system. Where required, SWIFT has to comply with valid subpoenas.
In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, SWIFT responded to compulsory subpoenas for limited sets of data from the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury. Our fundamental principle has been to preserve the confidentiality of our users' data while complying with the lawful obligations in countries where we operate. Striking that balance has guided SWIFT through this process with the United States Department of the Treasury.
SWIFT negotiated with the U.S. Treasury over the scope and oversight of the subpoenas. Through this process, SWIFT received significant protections and assurances as to the purpose, confidentiality, oversight and control of the limited sets of data produced under the subpoenas. Independent audit controls provide additional assurance that these protections are fully complied with.
Well tonight CBS News reported on part of the money trail used by the British terrorists.
Intelligence sources say that beginning in February, the suspects -- trying to avoid detection -- transferred relatively small amounts of money; $1,000 here, a few thousand there, from Pakistan into various accounts in Britain.
So it appears that the Pakistan/British terrorists already knew that they had to move money around, '$1,000 here, a few thousand there' in order to avoid being detected. This was months before the NYT broke the story.
I can only conclude that the Bush Administration and all of the rest of the wingnuts out there think we're dealing with a bunch of idiots. It appears the real idiots are running our government or pontificating for the Bush Administration.