Spooks Among Us: The Case for CIA Operations Inside America

 

This Canadian CSIS agent quietly observes her target, then steps in to guide a troubled individual away from radicalization before it's too late (See video: 'CSIS Intelligence Officers' below)

      CSIS, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, takes a distinctly different approach than the CIA in the U.S. Imagine their agents not just as spooks lurking in the shadows, but more like community outreach workers. These folks walk the streets of Canadian cities, not just gathering intel, but actively engaging with marginalized youth and adults who might be on the verge of being recruited by domestic or foreign terrorist groups.

     They don’t just watch from a distance; they get involved, offering support and intervention before things get out of hand. This hands-on, proactive method lets CSIS reach out to troubled individuals and steer them away from radicalization before it’s too late.

     One notable example of a successful intervention by CSIS involves a young man, Mohamed Hersi, a Somali-Canadian who had it in his head to join Al-Shabaab in Somalia. It was back in 2011 when CSIS, along with the RCMP, got a tip-off about his plans.

     So, what did they do? Instead of just watching from the shadows, CSIS agents took a more hands-on approach. They reached out to Hersi, talked to him, provided support, and showed him another way — they genuinely helped him see that joining a terrorist group wasn’t the answer. And guess what? It worked. Hersi decided not to go through with his plans.

     But it gets better. He actually started cooperating with CSIS, spilling the beans on how terrorist groups were trying to recruit young Canadians. This was gold for CSIS — insider intel that helped them prevent further radicalization in the community. So, not only did they save Hersi from a dark path, but they also got the upper hand on the bad guys. Hint: Watch the video ‘CSIS Intelligence Officers’ to see how they preemptively step in to prevent radicalization.

     Unlike CSIS, the CIA can’t operate on American soil. This rule is deeply rooted in the core values of American democracy, designed to keep domestic law enforcement and international intelligence strictly separate. The CIA’s main mission is gathering foreign intel and running covert ops overseas. They leave the domestic surveillance and counterintelligence work to the FBI and DHS. This setup underscores America’s commitment to civil liberties and makes sure the government doesn’t get too nosy in the lives of its citizens. 

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      The CIA, being a counterintelligence agency rather than a law enforcement body, operates under a different set of rules and can undertake activities that the FBI and local police are restricted from doing. Unlike domestic law enforcement agencies, the CIA isn’t bound by the same legal constraints when it comes to surveillance and intelligence gathering. This freedom allows the CIA to employ advanced espionage techniques, like covert operations and sophisticated surveillance technologies, which are often restricted or prohibited for the FBI and local police due to legal and constitutional safeguards.

     A clear-cut example of legal restrictions getting in the way of the FBI stopping a terrorist attack is the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. Major Nidal Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, ended up killing 13 people and injuring over 30 at Fort Hood, Texas.

     Before the attack, Hasan was in contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric with terrorist connections. The FBI had intercepted emails between Hasan and al-Awlaki, but thanks to the legal restrictions and protocols in place, they didn’t act decisively on this intel.

     One big issue was the interpretation of privacy laws and internal guidelines. The FBI needed a higher level of evidence before they could take action. Their surveillance rules were strict, especially when the subject was a U.S. citizen and military personnel like Hasan. These rules were meant to protect civil liberties but also tied the FBI’s hands.

     The FBI thought Hasan’s emails were just part of his research on Islam for his job. They didn’t see him as an immediate threat. Plus, legal concerns about violating his rights and the lack of a clear indication that he posed a direct danger meant no preventive measures were taken.

     This tragic event shows the tricky balance between protecting civil liberties and ensuring national security. The FBI’s inability to act more aggressively on the intercepted emails due to legal and procedural constraints played a big part in their failure to prevent the Fort Hood shooting.

     But here’s the big question: Will Americans be okay with the CIA running operations inside the U.S.? If they are, it means CIA operatives will be infiltrating domestic and foreign terrorist groups right here at home. Yep, CIA spooks will be intercepting communications and tracking financial transactions without needing the same level of judicial oversight that domestic law enforcement does. This ability lets them uncover and disrupt plots before they even get off the ground.

     By stepping outside the usual boundaries of traditional law enforcement, CIA operatives would be hitting the streets of America, recruiting and managing informants within terrorist networks, conducting cyber espionage to hack into terrorist communications, and using satellite and drone surveillance to monitor potential threats.

     Imagine if the CIA could operate inside the U.S. with the same freedom they have abroad. They’d have a major advantage in spotting and stopping threats right here at home, often before they even get to the planning stage.

     It’s pretty amazing — and honestly a bit disappointing — that we don’t have something like Canada’s CSIS in our toolkit. Sure, we’ve got agencies focused on domestic security, but we’re missing that proactive, personal touch that CSIS brings. They work directly with at-risk individuals, preventing radicalization before it starts and helping to build stronger communities.

     The strict rules and boundaries set for the CIA highlight the tricky balance the U.S. tries to maintain between security and individual freedoms. It’s a constant juggling act, but maybe there’s something to learn from our neighbors up north. Their hands-on, community-focused approach could offer valuable insights for enhancing our own domestic security efforts. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and authors the ‘Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster’ series. Check out his latest spy thriller, ‘Mission of Vengeance’.