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Anti-Terrorism Bill has Internet Gambling Prohibition Provisions Built-In
Everyone is aware of the bill that Representative Goodlatte is introducing to the House to amend the 1961 wire act to include those activities that would encompass the offshore gaming world. Many people are not; however, aware of another bill being pushed through government that includes a hidden agenda. This bill, now named "H.R. 3004 - The Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001" has built-in subsections to encompass Internet Gambling.
This bill, introduced by Michael G. Oxley (Ohio), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, is said to significantly strengthen law enforcement's ability to attack the financial infrastructure of terrorists and increases the ease of prosecution of said persons. The exact words used by Mr. Oxley in his Opening Statement at the Full Committee Markup on October 11, 2001 one are "The bill significantly strengthens the hands of law enforcement in attacking the financial infrastructure of terrorists and in prosecuting them for money laundering and other financial crimes. It strengthens bulk cash smuggling laws, makes it easier to prosecute illegal money services, makes the provision of material support to terrorists a predicate for money laundering, bars the entry of aliens suspected of money laundering, and strengthens procedures for obtaining foreign bank records relevant to terrorism or money laundering."
The enhancement of public/private cooperation between Federal agencies and the financial services industry is also the focus of 3004. A public/private task force on terrorist financing and the establishment of secure Internet controls to facilitate the reporting from financial institutions about suspected terrorist or money laundering activity is also required to be put in place. The bill also addresses the vulnerabilities of illegal internet gambling operations to money laundering practices due to their affiliations with offshore banks. Oxley points out that these issues must be discussed if effective, comprehensive legislation is to be put into place.
The bill seems eerily similar to that discussed in the movie "Enemy of the State". The gambling issues are buried in a long list of activities that are now going to move from the "private world" to "public domain". The bill itself is about 25 pages long, and is still in the editing phase; however, it amends prior outdated laws that did not specifically include language relating to current technology. It also gives the freedom of both domestic and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies to work together to rid the world of evil-for a lack of a better way to put it.
H.R. 3004 goes beyond just taking another step to stomp out the wildfire growth of Internet gambling. It actually gives Big Brother, and others, the right to invade the privacy of ordinary citizens with very little probable cause. The summary description says, "To combat terrorism and defend the Nation against terrorist acts, and for other purposes." And for other purposes……that's pretty broad. Not that terrorist threats shouldn't be taken seriously, but how much of our freedom should be taken away? That is a very fine line that may be crossed with this bill. The sections the bill covers are as follows. This is a very brief summary, encompassing only the outline of the bill. However it gives the idea of how many changes are being made to protect "National Security". (The wording used is exactly as it appears in the table of contents of the bill)
Title 1: Intelligence Gathering Subtitle A-Electronic Surveillance Ten items are included in this section 1. Modification of authorities relating to use of pen registers and trap and trace devices. 2. Seizure of voice-mail messages pursuant to warrants. 3. Authorized disclosure. 4. Savings Provision. 5. Use of wiretap information from foreign governments. 6. Interception of computer trespasser communications. 7. Scope of subpoenas for records of electronic communications 8. Nationwide service of search warrants for electronic evidence. 9. Clarification of Scope. 10. Emergency disclosure of electronic communications to protect life and limb. Subtitle B-Foreign Intelligence Surveillance and Other Information 1. Period of orders of electronic surveillance of non-United States persons under foreign intelligence surveillance. 2. Multi-point authority. 3. Foreign intelligence information 4. Foreign intelligence information sharing. 5. Pen register and trap and trace authority. 6. Business records. 7. Miscellaneous national-security authorities. 8. Disclosure of educational records. 9. Presidential authority.
The next sections deal with Immigration, Criminal Justice, and Criminal Procedure. Basically all definitions of, and procedures for dealing with any suspected terrorism or wrongdoing are loosened in these sections. They become much more generic and allow for more private Inter-agency sharing of information, etc. They don't apply directly to Internet gaming, but the generic language could be easily used to target "shady" international business practices.
Section 4 gets down to the area that could directly affect offshore gaming. The government knows they basically can't just make the gambling itself illegal. That will work as well as prohibition did. Too many bookies still running around taking bets on cell phones these days. People like to gamble and there is no real way to stop them. They can squeeze with the following: Title IV-Financial Infrastructure 1. Laundering the proceeds of terrorism. 2. Material support for terrorism. 3. Assets of terrorist organizations. 4. Technical clarification relating to provision of material support to terrorism. 5. Disclosure of tax information in terrorism and national-security investigations. 6. Restraint of property subject to criminal forfeiture. 7. Trade sanctions. 8. Extraterritorial jurisdiction.
To summarize each of these points would take pages, but most are pretty self-explanatory as to how they would affect not just the offshore gaming world, but personal privacy as well. It is clear that a stronger stance needs to be taken when protecting the lives and freedom of individuals; however, this should not come at the price of an individual's feeling of privacy and security. Strange this bill hasn't been on the front pages of the news or the focus of any hot debates. It seems that people want this one to be kept quiet, so it passes through quickly and anonymously, placing into affect provisions that effect each and every life in the free world.
Michael Rosen is a freelance writer. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of bettorsworld.com
Anti-Terrorism Bill has Internet Gambling Prohibition Provisions Built-In
Everyone is aware of the bill that Representative Goodlatte is introducing to the House to amend the 1961 wire act to include those activities that would encompass the offshore gaming world. Many people are not; however, aware of another bill being pushed through government that includes a hidden agenda. This bill, now named "H.R. 3004 - The Financial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001" has built-in subsections to encompass Internet Gambling.
This bill, introduced by Michael G. Oxley (Ohio), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, is said to significantly strengthen law enforcement's ability to attack the financial infrastructure of terrorists and increases the ease of prosecution of said persons. The exact words used by Mr. Oxley in his Opening Statement at the Full Committee Markup on October 11, 2001 one are "The bill significantly strengthens the hands of law enforcement in attacking the financial infrastructure of terrorists and in prosecuting them for money laundering and other financial crimes. It strengthens bulk cash smuggling laws, makes it easier to prosecute illegal money services, makes the provision of material support to terrorists a predicate for money laundering, bars the entry of aliens suspected of money laundering, and strengthens procedures for obtaining foreign bank records relevant to terrorism or money laundering."
The enhancement of public/private cooperation between Federal agencies and the financial services industry is also the focus of 3004. A public/private task force on terrorist financing and the establishment of secure Internet controls to facilitate the reporting from financial institutions about suspected terrorist or money laundering activity is also required to be put in place. The bill also addresses the vulnerabilities of illegal internet gambling operations to money laundering practices due to their affiliations with offshore banks. Oxley points out that these issues must be discussed if effective, comprehensive legislation is to be put into place.
The bill seems eerily similar to that discussed in the movie "Enemy of the State". The gambling issues are buried in a long list of activities that are now going to move from the "private world" to "public domain". The bill itself is about 25 pages long, and is still in the editing phase; however, it amends prior outdated laws that did not specifically include language relating to current technology. It also gives the freedom of both domestic and international law enforcement and intelligence agencies to work together to rid the world of evil-for a lack of a better way to put it.
H.R. 3004 goes beyond just taking another step to stomp out the wildfire growth of Internet gambling. It actually gives Big Brother, and others, the right to invade the privacy of ordinary citizens with very little probable cause. The summary description says, "To combat terrorism and defend the Nation against terrorist acts, and for other purposes." And for other purposes……that's pretty broad. Not that terrorist threats shouldn't be taken seriously, but how much of our freedom should be taken away? That is a very fine line that may be crossed with this bill. The sections the bill covers are as follows. This is a very brief summary, encompassing only the outline of the bill. However it gives the idea of how many changes are being made to protect "National Security". (The wording used is exactly as it appears in the table of contents of the bill)
Title 1: Intelligence Gathering Subtitle A-Electronic Surveillance Ten items are included in this section 1. Modification of authorities relating to use of pen registers and trap and trace devices. 2. Seizure of voice-mail messages pursuant to warrants. 3. Authorized disclosure. 4. Savings Provision. 5. Use of wiretap information from foreign governments. 6. Interception of computer trespasser communications. 7. Scope of subpoenas for records of electronic communications 8. Nationwide service of search warrants for electronic evidence. 9. Clarification of Scope. 10. Emergency disclosure of electronic communications to protect life and limb. Subtitle B-Foreign Intelligence Surveillance and Other Information 1. Period of orders of electronic surveillance of non-United States persons under foreign intelligence surveillance. 2. Multi-point authority. 3. Foreign intelligence information 4. Foreign intelligence information sharing. 5. Pen register and trap and trace authority. 6. Business records. 7. Miscellaneous national-security authorities. 8. Disclosure of educational records. 9. Presidential authority.
The next sections deal with Immigration, Criminal Justice, and Criminal Procedure. Basically all definitions of, and procedures for dealing with any suspected terrorism or wrongdoing are loosened in these sections. They become much more generic and allow for more private Inter-agency sharing of information, etc. They don't apply directly to Internet gaming, but the generic language could be easily used to target "shady" international business practices.
Section 4 gets down to the area that could directly affect offshore gaming. The government knows they basically can't just make the gambling itself illegal. That will work as well as prohibition did. Too many bookies still running around taking bets on cell phones these days. People like to gamble and there is no real way to stop them. They can squeeze with the following: Title IV-Financial Infrastructure 1. Laundering the proceeds of terrorism. 2. Material support for terrorism. 3. Assets of terrorist organizations. 4. Technical clarification relating to provision of material support to terrorism. 5. Disclosure of tax information in terrorism and national-security investigations. 6. Restraint of property subject to criminal forfeiture. 7. Trade sanctions. 8. Extraterritorial jurisdiction.
To summarize each of these points would take pages, but most are pretty self-explanatory as to how they would affect not just the offshore gaming world, but personal privacy as well. It is clear that a stronger stance needs to be taken when protecting the lives and freedom of individuals; however, this should not come at the price of an individual's feeling of privacy and security. Strange this bill hasn't been on the front pages of the news or the focus of any hot debates. It seems that people want this one to be kept quiet, so it passes through quickly and anonymously, placing into affect provisions that effect each and every life in the free world.
Michael Rosen is a freelance writer. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of bettorsworld.com
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