Terrorist Finance Tracking Program

The Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, "based on intelligence leads, carefully targets financial transactions of suspected foreign terrorists," Secretary of the U.S. Treasury John W. Snow said June 22, 2006.

"Let me be clear what this program is, and what it is not," Snow said. "It is an essential tool in the war on terror, based on appropriate legal authorities with effective oversight and safeguards. It is not 'data mining', or trolling through the private financial records of Americans. It is not a 'fishing expedition', but rather a sharp harpoon aimed at the heart of terrorist activity. ...

"'If there are people sending money to help al Qaeda, then we need to know about it. We also need to take advantage of that knowledge to follow the money trail and thwart them'," Snow said.

Statements & Legislation

 * "Statement of Treasury Secretary John W. Snow on Disclosure of the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program,' U.S. Department of the Treasury, June 22, 2006.
 * H.Res. 895: "Supporting Intelligence and Law Enforcement Programs to Track Terrorists and Terrorist Finances Conducted Consistent with Federal Law and with Appropriate Congressional Consultation and Specifically Condemning the Disclosure and Publication of Classified Information." Introduced June 28, 2006, by Rep. Michael G. Oxley (R-Ohio) in the U.S. House of Representatives, 109th Congress, 2d Session.
 * H.Res. 895: Introduced June 29, 2006, in the U.S. House of Representatives, 109th Congress, 2d Session. Passed and agreed to in House, June 29, 2006.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Bank Secrecy Act
 * data mining
 * Domestic Spying Leak Investigation
 * executive privilege
 * Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
 * George W. Bush's domestic spying
 * George W. Bush's Domestic Spying: Legal or Illegal?
 * George W. Bush's domestic spying: SourceWatch Resources
 * George W. Bush's phone records spying
 * Intelligence Authorization Agreement of 2004