WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno Tuesday told the Sept. 11 Commission the Patriot Act aids law enforcement without compromising civil liberties.
"Generally, everything that has been done in Patriot Act has been helpful, while maintaining the balance with respect to civil liberties," Reno, who was attorney general under President Bill Clinton, said.
Reno said the only section of the Patriot Act she would like to see considered further is the Patriot Act's expansion of the search authorities granted by secret courts connected with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. She said she would like to learn more about those expansions, which might pose a threat to civil liberties.
Reno said further improvements to U.S. law enforcement and domestic intelligence gathering will likely not come from further statutory changes, but from changes in the behavior of individual agents.
"Where we've got to go is making sure we use our experience to make the system work," Reno said.
A positive change will come from "people sitting down and starting to share information," she added.
