It seems that U.S citizens are the only folks worried about their civil rights in the wake of the new FISA law passed by Congress right before the August recess. The Observer reports that the new law is starting to generate some concern in the U.K. and Europe:

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was approved by Congress earlier this month to help the National Security Agency in the fight against terrorism. But it has now emerged that the bill gives the security services powers to intercept all telephone calls, internet traffic and emails made by British citizens across US-based networks.

As much of the world’s telecoms networks and internet infrastructure runs through the US, the new act will give the security services huge scope for monitoring and intercepting Britons’ private communications, as well as those of other foreign citizens. The new act has led to fears it will see a huge increase in the number of British citizens being extradited to the US.

Tony Bunyan, director of Statewatch, the civil rights group that campaigns against state surveillance said, “Just because it happens to pass through the US they claim they can do whatever they want Where is the EU saying, “What’s going on here, we’ve got to protect the rights of our citizens?”"

Ah, Yes… The “concern over US powers to monitor foreign citizens is growing.” Rightly so…

European privacy watchdogs have expressed fears that the US authorities are to be handed powers to check the personal details of travellers entering America and store them on databases alongside details such as their sexuality and religious beliefs for up to 15 years. The watchdogs, including the Information Commissioner of England and Wales, Richard Thomas, have been scathing in their criticism of the European Commission for granting the US its demand for the new powers.

The Democratic leadership has vowed to fix this mess with FISA when Congress convenes. Keep at them. Call your Reps and Senators local offices while they are recess and let them know you’re mad as hell. There’s more on this tonight at Cliff Schecter and Newshoggers.

In related news, Dan Eggen reports in the WaPo:

A secret U.S. intelligence court has ordered the Bush administration to register its views about a records request by the American Civil Liberties Union, which wants the court to release a series of pivotal orders issued earlier this year about the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program.

The move is highly unusual, because the court — which approves warrants for electronic surveillance within the United States by intelligence and counterterrorism agencies — operates in almost total secrecy and has made only one ruling public in its 29-year history.

In a scheduling order issued Thursday and released yesterday by the ACLU, the chief judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court instructed the government to respond to the ACLU’s request by Aug. 31. The civil liberties group has until Sept. 14 to file its own response.

The ACLU has more and Melissa weighs in on Shakesville and Lambert on Corrente adds his thoughts.

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