The United Press International reports that former NSA employee Russell Tice, who has been in the news recently as one of the leakers of the NSA surveillance program, is now saying that there is another “more wide-ranging program” beyond the one disclosed by the New York Times in December:
A former NSA employee said Tuesday there is another ongoing top-secret surveillance program that might have violated millions of Americans’ Constitutional rights.
Russell D. Tice told the House Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations he has concerns about a “special access” electronic surveillance program that he characterized as far more wide-ranging than the warrentless [sic] wiretapping recently exposed by the New York Times but he is forbidden from discussing the program with Congress.
Tice said he believes it violates the Constitution’s protection against unlawful search and seizures but has no way of sharing the information without breaking classification laws. He is not even allowed to tell the congressional intelligence committees – members or their staff – because they lack high enough clearance.
This disclosure is consistent with Attorney General Gonzales’s strong hint before the Senate Judiciary Committee that there are other telecommunications surveillance programs beyond the one disclosed by the Times.
UPDATE: I edited this after posting.