National Security : NPR

Claim: Leaks About Al-Qaida Do More 'Damage' Than Snowden's

September 30, 2013 • In August, there were reports that the terrorist network was planning new attacks. Since then, officials tell The New York Times, there's been a sharp drop in the number of messages being passed between al-Qaida operatives. They think the leaks lead terrorists to go quiet.

Ex-U.S. Army Sniper Instructor Nabbed In Thai 'Hit Squad' Sting

Joseph Manuel Hunter (center) is escorted by Thai police commandos to Police Aviation Division after being arrested, in Bangkok on Thursday. Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press hide caption

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Sakchai Lalit/Associated Press

Ex-U.S. Army Sniper Instructor Nabbed In Thai 'Hit Squad' Sting

September 27, 2013 • The former sergeant allegedly helped recruit others from Europe and the U.S. to help carry out contract killings.

Study: Effectiveness Of U.S. Drone Strikes Doubtful

Pakistani tribal villagers hold a rally in the capital, Islamabad, in 2010 to condemn U.S. drone attacks on their villages. B.K. Bangash/Associated Press hide caption

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B.K. Bangash/Associated Press

Study: Effectiveness Of U.S. Drone Strikes Doubtful

September 26, 2013 • The meta-analysis suggests that such attacks that kill militant leaders in Pakistan have little or no effect on the level of insurgent violence in neighboring Afghanistan.

Syrian Rebels: U.S. Distracted By Focus On Chemical Weapons

Smoke from heavy shelling rises above buildings in Dara'a, Syria, on Aug. 28. Ugarit News/AP hide caption

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Ugarit News/AP

Syrian Rebels: U.S. Distracted By Focus On Chemical Weapons

September 26, 2013 • Syrian rebel groups say the pipeline of weapons, ammunition and nonlethal aid pledged by the U.S. has slowed in recent weeks, as the Obama administration has shifted focus to destroying President Bashar Assad's chemical weapons. The rebels have a broader goal: destroying the Assad regime.

Syrian Rebels: U.S. Distracted By Focus On Chemical Weapons

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State Department Renews Global Terrorism Alert

September 25, 2013 • Current information, the department said, indicates al-Qaida and its affiliates are still planning attacks on Americans.

Booting Up: New NSA Data Farm Takes Root In Utah

The National Security Agency says its massive new data center near Salt Lake City will enhance the agency's ability to analyze the email, text message, cellphone and landline metadata it collects. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption

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Rick Bowmer/AP

All Tech Considered

Booting Up: New NSA Data Farm Takes Root In Utah

September 23, 2013 • Even as it continues to grapple with concerns about its data-gathering operations, the National Security Agency is poised to open a massive facility where cellphone, text message, email and landline data can be stored and analyzed.

Booting Up: New NSA Data Farm Takes Root In Utah

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The Two-Way

Former FBI Agent To Plead Guilty In Leak Case

September 23, 2013 • A court filing reveals the former FBI bomb tech used his top secret clearance to obtain information about an al-Qaida bomb the U.S. intercepted in Yemen. Officials have called the leak one of the most serious in U.S. history.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis talks with reporters during the hunt for the Boston Marathon bombers in April. Michael Reynolds/EPA/Landov hide caption

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Michael Reynolds/EPA/Landov

The Two-Way

Boston Police Chief Is Stepping Down

September 23, 2013 • Edward Davis became known nationally as he led his department's response to the Boston Marathon bombings. He says that after seven years in the job, it's time for him to move on. The first opportunity he may take advantage of is a fellowship at Harvard.

The Effects Of The Snowden Leaks Aren't What He Intended

Edward Snowden's leaks about the NSA's secret surveillance program have pushed the agency to expedite planned reforms ahead of schedule, according to NSA officials. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters/Landov hide caption

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Maxim Shemetov/Reuters/Landov

The Effects Of The Snowden Leaks Aren't What He Intended

September 20, 2013 • Critics of the NSA's secret surveillance hoped the debate that followed Edward Snowden's leaks would prompt the NSA to rethink the operation. Instead, one of the most noticeable effects so far has been a diversion of resources away from intelligence missions toward assessing damage from the leaks.

The Effects Of The Snowden Leaks Aren't What He Intended

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FBI Chief: Gunman Was 'Wandering Around Looking For People To Shoot'

FBI Director James Comey is pictured earlier this month during his swearing-in ceremony at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. Susan Walsh/AP hide caption

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Susan Walsh/AP

The Two-Way

FBI Chief: Gunman Was 'Wandering Around Looking For People To Shoot'

September 19, 2013 • In his first remarks to reporters since taking office this month, FBI Director Jim Comey addressed security concerns following the Navy Yard shootings that left 13 people dead. He also talked about sequestration and leaks on government surveillance programs.

ACLU Posts Fed-Collected 'Suspicious' Activity Reports Online

In the last few years, the feds have expanded efforts to collect tips about people's behavior in the real world. At a fusion center in Las Vegas, workers like Daniel Burns, a program coordinator, analyze suspicious activity reports. The ACLU on Thursday posted more than 1,800 of these reports that were gathered in central California. Monica Lam/Center for Investigative Reporting hide caption

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Monica Lam/Center for Investigative Reporting

ACLU Posts Fed-Collected 'Suspicious' Activity Reports Online

September 19, 2013 • Document requests by the ACLU of Northern California have produced an inside look at the records of suspicious activity reports gathered by federal authorities. The feds appear to be keeping files on people based on tips that fall far below the threshold of reasonable suspicion.

ACLU Posts Fed-Collected 'Suspicious' Activity Reports Online

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Around The World, Gun Ownership And Firearms Deaths Go Together

Flags fly at half-staff Tuesday after the deadly shootings at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption

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J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Shots - Health News

Around The World, Gun Ownership And Firearms Deaths Go Together

September 18, 2013 • An analysis of gun ownership, crime and mental illness in 27 countries found that firearms deaths were more strongly associated with how many people own guns. The rate of mental illness appeared only weakly correlated with firearms deaths.

Officials: Edward Snowden's Leaks Were Masked By Job Duties

Government officials tell NPR that Edward Snowden's job responsibilities allowed him to copy sensitive files unnoticed. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters /Landov hide caption

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Maxim Shemetov/Reuters /Landov

Officials: Edward Snowden's Leaks Were Masked By Job Duties

September 18, 2013 • Investigators have a good idea what documents NSA leaker Edward Snowden got and how he got them. Officials now tell NPR that he had access to a file-sharing site on the NSA's internal website, and it was actually his responsibility to move sensitive documents to a more secure location.

Officials: Edward Snowden's Leaks Were Masked By Job Duties

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