Petrelis Files

NSA: "Technical Difficulties" Are Why FOIA Logs Can't Be Released

I've received word from the NSA that it has located most of the FOIA logs I requested last month.

The agency will soon send me their FOIA logs from 2000 through 2004, but, believe it or not, and I don't, NSA doesn't have the programming or some other such problem necessary to produce the most recent FOIA logs, for 2005.

Incredible. NSA can engage in extensive legitimate, and warrantless clandestine surveillance, around the globe, but its own FOIA logs from 2005, which they acknowledge are in a computer somewhere, can't be generated. Such a lame excuse is unacceptable to me, so I'll be transmitting this appeal on Tuesday.

Will keep you posted.
-


Louis F. Giles
Director of Policy, FOIA Office
National Security Agency
9800 Savage Road STE 6248
Ft. Meade, MD 20755-6248

Re: NSA FOIA Case Number 47887

Dear Mr. Giles:

This letter acknowledges receipt of your January 4 letter in response to my Freedom of Information Act request for your 2005 FOIA logs.

You state the following: “The two FOIA logs for 2005 (January through June and July through December) have not been generated yet due to technical difficulties with the automated reports function of our FOIA database.”

I frankly find it hard to understand how your agency, with a multi-billion dollar annual budget, does not have the technical ability to generate the FOIA logs for 2005.

What exactly are the “technical difficulties” that prevent you from operating your “automated reports function” of the NSA’s FOIA requests logs for last year?

Please provide further detailed reasons explaining why you are unable to provide me with 2005’s FOIA logs.

Furthermore, once those logs are generated, I ask that copies of the logs are immediately mailed to me.

If you have any need for clarification, please contact me.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis