Guidelines for FBI National Security Investigations and Foreign Intelligence Collection

Citation
U.S. Attorney General, Guidelines for FBI National Security Investigations and Foreign Intelligence Collection (Oct. 31, 2003) (full-text).

Overview
The guidelines state as a “general principle” that

"the FBI shall provide information expeditiously to other agencies in the Intelligence Community, so that these agencies can take action in a timely manner to protect the national security in accordance with their lawful functions."

The guidelines also state that

"consistent with this overriding priority, the FBI shall act in a manner to protect, to the greatest extent possible . . . other significant interests, including the protection of intelligence and sensitive law enforcement sources and methods, other classified information, and sensitive operational and prosecutorial information."

It affirms the MOU on Homeland Security Information Sharing, and authorizes sharing with foreign authorities when in the national security interest but requires that the FBI consider the reasonably expected effect on any identifiable U.S. person.

FBI counterintelligence and foreign intelligence information collected under the guidelines, including information acquired in “National Security Investigations” concerning U.S. persons, may be shared with other IC components so that they can determine its relevance to their responsibilities. However, sharing may be limited to protect security, operational, and prosecutorial interests.