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F.B.I. Isn't Trying to Increase Wiretaps
NY Times, Letter to the Editor, November 3, p. A28
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To the Editor:

  Re "F.B.I. Wants Advanced System to Vastly Increase Wiretapping"
(front page, Nov. 2):

  The simple facts are:

  * Congress last year overwhelmingly passed legislation to preserve
the ability of law enforcement, in the face of advancing technology,
to conduct court-authorized wiretaps.  Congress did not expand the 
F.B.I.'s authority to conduct wiretaps, not did the F.B.I. ask Congress
to do so.

  * The F.B.I. and the telephone industry are working together to find
reasonable and affordable solutions that will keep pace with
technology, nothing more.

  * We have not and are not asking for the ability to monitor 1 out
of every 100 telephone lines or any other ridiculous number like that.
To obtain that many court orders and conduct that extent of
wiretapping would be nearly impossible.  Information supplied by the
F.B.I. was simply applied in a manner not intended to reach erroneous
conclusions.

  * Without this law, adequate funding and reasonable technical
solutions, the nation's public safety and national security are
unquestionably jeopardized.  Court-ordered wiretapping is the single
most effective investigative technique used by law enforcement to
combat illegal drugs, terrorism, violent crime, espionage and
organized crime.

  There is no intention to expand the number of wiretaps or the
extent of wiretapping.  Those who use the public comment notice
to argue the contrary are wrong.

                                  LOUIS J. FREEH
                                  Director
                                  Federal Bureau of Investigation
                                  Washington, Nov. 2, 1995