Romney speech on security draws strong response

In a speech to the conservative Heritage Foundation on Wednesday, the Boston Globe reports, Gov. Romney said that mosques should be bugged, and that foreign students from "countries accused of sponsoring terrorism" should be closely monitored.

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But specialists say the hate speech that you might hear in some mosques is not enough to open an investigation - that before the FBI could wiretap a mosque, or any other facility, it would need to convince a judge that "there's probable cause to believe someone is doing or planning something criminal."

"The fact that somebody speaks in anti-American tones, that may cause you to be suspicious about how they may act on those feelings," said Gerry Leone, a former federal prosecutor who was state terrorism coordinator after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "But the way our standards are written in this country, you can't obtain formalized, approved investigative strategies for electronic surveillance on speech alone."

Jim Ring, who spent 25 years with the FBI in Boston, added, "Speaking is one thing; acting is another."

In his speech, United Press International reports, Romney said the US was also spending too much time focusing on how to respond to an attack, and not enough time on how to prevent one.

After a strong reaction against his comments, Romney "softened" his tone Thursday. He told reporters that he wasn't " proposing anything new."

"The point I continue to make is that I believe as a nation we are underinvesting in the gathering of intelligence and counterintelligence capabilities," Romney said. "I'm not suggesting a new form of counterintelligence or a new form of intelligence in this nation."

"The governor is not suggesting blanket wiretapping – that's ridiculous," Romney's communications director, Eric Fehrnstrom, said yesterday. Romney, he said, was simply advocating "more resources for prevention through better intelligence-gathering."

As he ponders a potential run for president in 2008 [the Globe reports], Romney has positioned himself as a homeland security expert: He sits on a federal homeland security advisory council, is active on the issue with the National Governors Association, and repeatedly speaks about the lessons the country has learned from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and, more recently, from Hurricane Katrina.

"It's irresponsible for the top elected official in any state to suggest blanket wiretapping of houses of worship," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Ali Noorani, the executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, said his group plans to demand a retraction. "There's a need for the US government and the intelligence system to better understand the Muslim community," Noorani said. "The way not to do it is to wiretap and surreptitiously surveil an entire community."

Also...
• Summary of nuclear standoff with Iran ( Reuters)
• Palestinians disappointed with Sharon speech at the UN ( Al Bawaba)
• Why China's Not Backing Bush on Iran ( Time)

• Feedback appreciated. E-mail Tom Regan .