Mark Klein, a former AT&T technician, alleges that AT&T illegally cooperated with the National Security Agency to install and perform surveillance programs. Klein's allegations are supported by exerptions from internal documents.
It is alleged that the program is more extensive then originally reported and directly authorized by President Bush. According to John Poindexter, the system provides officails with "instant access" to travel records and even banking transactions.
To "mollify critics," the program was renamed "Terrorism Information Awareness." Due to public backlash, the majority of funding was cut. In the end, essential hardware was left in place and more was "slipped" into "real world" telecomm offices.
