Pursuant to new guidelines, the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), a component of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), can now collect the personal information of innocent U.S. citizens and residents from any federal government databases, retain and “continually assess” it for up to five years, even where no connection to terrorism has been identified. The new guidelines were approved by Attorney General Holder, replacing guidelines that required that information pertaining to Americans to be promptly reviewed and destroyed within 180 days where no connection to terrorism could be identified. The updated guidelines pose significant risks to Americans’ civil liberties as they remove traditional restraints against the intelligence community targeting Americans who are not suspected of wrongdoing.
Updated NCTC Guidelines: http://www.washingtonpost.com/r/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/03/22/National-Security/Graphics/NCTC%20GuidelinesonTerror.pdf
ACLU Blog on Updated NCTC Guidelines: http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/government-extends-time-it-can-retain-info-innocent-americans
2008 National Counterterrorism Center Guidelines Redlined With 2012 Changes: https://www.aclu.org/national-security/2008-national-counterterrorism-center-guidelines-redlined-2012-changes
ACLU Factsheet on Information Collection at the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC): https://www.aclu.org/national-security/aclu-factsheet-information-collection-national-counterterrorism-center-nctc