- Main Core
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Main Core is the code name of a database maintained since the 1980s by the federal government of the United States. Main Core contains personal and financial data of millions of U.S. citizens believed to be threats to national security.[1] The data, which comes from the NSA, FBI, CIA, and other sources,[1] is collected and stored without warrants or court orders.[1] The database's name derives from the fact that it contains "copies of the 'main core' or essence of each item of intelligence information on Americans produced by the FBI and the other agencies of the U.S. intelligence community."[1]
The Main Core database is believed to have originated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1982, following Ronald Reagan's Continuity of Operations plan outlined in the National Security Directive (NSD) 69 / National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 55, entitled "Enduring National Leadership," implemented on September 14, 1982.[1][2]
As of 2008 there are reportedly eight million Americans listed in the database as possible threats,[3][dead link] often for trivial reasons,[4][dead link] whom the government may choose to track, question, or detain in a time of crisis.[5][dead link]
The existence of the database was first reported on in May 2008 by Christopher Ketcham and in July 2008 by Tim Shorrock.[2]
See also
- NSA warrantless surveillance controversy
- National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive
- Inslaw Inc. v. United States Government
- FBI Index
- Investigative Data Warehouse
References
- ^ a b c d e Shorrock, Tim (July 23, 2008). "Exposing Bush's historic abuse of power". Salon.com. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/07/23/new_churchcomm/#. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ a b Goodman, Amy (July 25, 2008). "Main Core: New Evidence Reveals Top Secret". Democracy Now. http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/25/main_core_new_evidence_reveals_top. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
External links
- Radar article by Christopher Ketcham, May/June 2008[dead link]
- Electronic Frontier Foundation page
Categories:- Intelligence (information gathering)
- 1980s establishments
- Government databases in the United States
- Espionage
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- United States stubs
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