Now, this is vague second or third or fourth-hand knowledge, but we think it comes from a credible source. We’ll all know this evening. NBC camera man Jim Long says he’s shooting an interview with the “foremost author on [the] NSA.” We think that means James Bamford, who has a pretty solid track record. In this interview the subject (assumed to be Bamford) says all email is intercepted.
We’ll know if it is Bamford, and presumably more context and details, tonight.
It’ll be curious to see how far the Obama administration’s transparency schtick sticks when it comes to dealing with these allegations.
Updated: Long confirmed it is Bamford and has noted that a NOVA documentary, “The Spy Factory“, that Bamford was involved in is being broadcast on PBS tomorrow (similar in name to Bamford’s latest book, “The Shadow Factory”). We kind of feel like shills here, but while we’re at it: We’re waiting for another documentary to become available on Netflix, Secrecy.
Added on the evening of 15 April 2009: In the New York Times, the article “NSA’s Intercepts Exceed Limits Set By Congress” seems to reinforce the hearsay I quoted in this post.