[Chriky]

> "data gathered from dragnet programs is [...] used in the [...] prosecution of normal domestic crimes in both the US and UK."

I don't think this is true - sigint is not admissable in the UK (or US afaik).

[mirimir]

In the US, there's the long-standing SOS program:[0]

> The unit of the DEA that distributes the information [from NSA] is called the Special Operations Division, or SOD. Two dozen partner agencies comprise the unit, including the FBI, CIA, NSA, Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Homeland Security. It was created in 1994 to combat Latin American drug cartels and has grown from several dozen employees to several hundred.

> "Remember that the utilization of SOD cannot be revealed or discussed in any investigative function," a document presented to agents reads. The document specifically directs agents to omit the SOD’s involvement from investigative reports, affidavits, discussions with prosecutors and courtroom testimony. Agents are instructed to then use "normal investigative techniques to recreate the information provided by SOD."

Which is aka "parallel construction".

Also, there's a great history of SOD online at the DEA Museum.[1]

0) http://www.reuters.com/article/us-dea-sod-idUSBRE97409R20130...

1) https://www.deamuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/042215-...

[Chriky]

I'm familiar with SOD - this supports my point not GP's point.

[mirimir]

Well, maybe sigint isn't admissible in the US, but it certainly gets used, as the basis for parallel construction. And likely also in the UK.

[mtgx]

The latest FISA law made FISA spying admissible in court. The FBI (and IRS, and SEC, and DHS, and other agencies) only needs to get a warrant after already seeing the data, at which point I'm not even sure what the purpose of the warrant is. The Fourth Amendment warrant was supposed to stop fishing expeditions.