September 27th, 2013
06:08 AM ET

NSA officers spied on love interests

The National Security Agency's internal watchdog detailed a dozen instances in the past decade in which its employees intentionally misused the agency's surveillance power, in some cases to snoop on their love interests.

A letter from the NSA's inspector general responding to a request by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, lists the dozen incidents where the NSA's foreign intelligence collection systems were abused. The letter also says there are two additional incidents now under investigation and another allegation pending that may require an investigation.

At least six of the incidents were referred to the Justice Department for possible prosecution or additional action; none appear to have resulted in charges. The letter doesn't identify the employees.

Several of the cases involve so-called "Loveint" violations.

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Filed under: Crime • District of Columbia • National security • Security • Technology • U.S. • World Update
soundoff (34 Responses)
  1. chrissy

    True that @ Jeppi! And then add this mess we have the laziest bratpak ever in Congress! Our government as a whole is just one big hot mess! WHY would the US citizens nor any other country trust the US! The only thing they ever accomplish is making problems! And now they are threatening us that they will shut down the government! If it werent for seniors, military personell and survivors losing their earned benifits i would say go for it! Then we could fire them all and start over!

    September 27, 2013 at 5:44 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Hamsta

    Socialists are elected by useful idiots who feel they are "victimized" by capitalism. Then the socialists demonize thepolitical opponents until the "victims" have severe hatred for the "oppressors". Once socialism has comletely taken over ( The ends justify the mesns, and let no crisis go to waste, invent a crisis if need be) the "oppressors" take a shower in a gas chamber. Once all the "oppressors" are gone the "victims" are next to take a shower because they are weak, feeble minded and unproductive. Then arises a powerful military to conquer other nations and repeat the process. What a shame liberals learned ABSOLUTELY NOTHING from Hitlar, Stalin, Mao, or Castro and fall right into the same pattern Obama is using that has been repeated so many times in history.

    September 27, 2013 at 8:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      Name one confirmed Socialist in our current political landscape. Not the ones you think are; a confirmed, avowed Socialist. Name, office, etc. You can't. They don't exist except as a tired talking point for the politically ignorant.

      September 27, 2013 at 9:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      Question: what does this sound like, Hamsta?
      “Require all households to purchase at least a basic package of insurance, unless they are covered by Medicaid, Medicare, or other government health programs. The private insurance market would be reformed to make a standard basic package available to all at an acceptable price.â€Â 

      September 27, 2013 at 9:22 pm | Report abuse |
    • Hamsta

      I have posted several links, they get DELETED. You liberals just can't come to reality that you are pushing SOCIALISM AND COMMUISM. Think I don't know what they are? My mom is half German. Democrats are trying to STEAL my family's land. One of the Mayoral candidates for New York is an admitted communist. Obame said he was going to "fundamentally transform" America. The next campaign he used the "Forward" slogan stolen from the Hitler youth movement. You can't deny Obama hasn't used the pattern I just revealed to you.

      September 27, 2013 at 9:49 pm | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      I don't believe I asked you about your family history; I asked you for one name of a confirmed avowed Socialist. You also completely ignored my second post. If this a common tactic with you?

      September 27, 2013 at 9:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      You really don't understand the written word, do you? I am not a liberal, which I have told you at least 5 times now.

      September 27, 2013 at 10:06 pm | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      I read the source that you gave about the two candidates. It didn't confirm the BdB is communist; only that L said his story about "the tale of two cities" was. Please answer my 9:17 and 9:22 questions.

      September 28, 2013 at 2:07 am | Report abuse |
  3. Hamsta is a broken record

    Change the tune Hamsta.

    September 27, 2013 at 9:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      Hamsta, please look up the meaning of hyperbole and anecdote. Compare them to your posts.

      September 28, 2013 at 2:15 am | Report abuse |
  4. Hamsta

    Again back to Blaming Bush part 19,682. You liberals say it has been happening for a decde. Bush spied on the REAL TERRORISTS, MUSLIMS. Obame wants to be the Muslims friend and calls republicans and Christians terrorists while he uses the IRS as his personal extortionist service. It's pretty obvious that NSA didn't spy on common Joe until the Obame administration.

    September 28, 2013 at 12:58 am | Report abuse |
  5. Hamsta

    Liberals most of the time won't admit to being a liberal just as they won't admit to being a communist. That's caused by the guilty conscience of someone who plays the " victim " while they really on the government to VICTIMIZE someone who earns his way. Observer, whether you want to admit it or not you are indeed a liberal and more than likely a communist.

    September 28, 2013 at 1:07 am | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      Stop deleting me CNN. I am answering a direct lie told about me.
      Hamsta, I an an Independent and have no political affiliation. Please cease your lie.

      September 28, 2013 at 1:55 am | Report abuse |
    • Observer

      Plus, I have never "played the victim", EVER, but I see plenty of complaining from people here that do play that tired game. You have never seen me post anything but facts. Don't obfuscate the issues.

      September 28, 2013 at 2:11 am | Report abuse |
  6. chrissy

    SOMEONE sure had a good time with the delete button today. And now you decide to put em all back up??

    September 28, 2013 at 6:26 am | Report abuse |
  7. kandylandy

    my roomate's sister makes $85 every hour on the internet. She has been without a job for nine months but last month her paycheck was $13963 just working on the internet for a few hours. browse around these guys......http://x.co/2Rsu3

    September 28, 2013 at 2:59 pm | Report abuse |
  8. banasy©

    Like taking candy from a baby. 🙄

    September 28, 2013 at 3:30 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Hamsta

    Hey Steve did it ever occur to you that I had to drop out of high school to get away from the political indoctrination from the left. If as you say , you have been reading my comments for a month you would know for liberals The ends justify the means and they let no crisis go to waste. If they don't have a crisis to exploit they invent one. Do you know what they are teaching kids in school today? GLOBAL WARMING, an invented crisis, the same scientists that provided the data have testified that they were PAID, BRIBED, BLACKMAILED, AND FORCED INTO providing data that says the sky is falling but that chicken little can fix it by taking your life savings from you. You can't get away from political indoctrination from the left. This is my way of fighting back, if you don't want to hear it you don't have to read this site, the ratings suck anyway!

    September 28, 2013 at 8:57 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Rascal Rabble

    nsa: one expensive peeping tom

    September 30, 2013 at 9:33 pm | Report abuse |
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