(ConcernedPatriot.com) – The proposal to spy on Catholic churches and church leaders was distributed to additional FBI offices nationwide, according to new information released by the House Judiciary Committee on Monday.
According to the committee, the FBI internal memo showed that the agency relied on data obtained from at least one undercover agent who intended to exploit local religious organizations as “new channels for tripwire and source growth.”
The Richmond office’s top counsel and two senior intelligence analysts examined and approved the records describing how the FBI sought to cultivate sources in Catholic parishes.
FBI spying on the Catholic Church across America pic.twitter.com/Uv0U1rJsL5
— Ghosted Hippie 👻 She told you so (@GhostedHippie) March 2, 2023
Republican legislators on the committee stated in a statement highlighting the documents that “this information is appalling and supports the committee’s need for full FBI data about the domain perspective document.”
Ohio Republican Jim Jordan, the judiciary committee chairman, sent FBI Director Christopher A. Wray with a subpoena on Monday requesting documents about targeting Catholic institutions.
The FBI said it assisted the committee when questioned about the proposed Richmond offices.
The subpoena was delivered to the FBI. The FBI acknowledged the value of congressional oversight and reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to working with Congress’ requests for surveillance per its legal and statutory obligations in a statement to The Washington Times.
Moreover, the FBI stated that it is “working actively to respond to congressional information requests, including voluntary provision of records.”
Mr. Wray answered inquiries from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during his appearance on March 8 regarding the FBI Richmond office’s plan to observe traditional Catholic parishes.
“I must admit that I was horrified when I first heard about the letter. And we moved right away to delete it from FBI systems and withdrew it. The FBI criteria are not reflected in it. We don’t look into people’s religious practices or affiliations, end of story,” he told MPs.
The FBI does not and will not “target people for religious views, and we do not and will not monitor people’s religious practices,” according to Mr. Wray, who added that the bureau put up refresher training for the “relevant workers.” “This is unacceptable.”
He said that the FBI Inspection Division looked into the incident and developed safeguards to ensure it didn’t occur again.
“We took action when we learned about it,” Mr. Wray said. “That was a product from one field office, which of course we have dozens and scores of these goods.”
Mr. Jordan claims that FBI informants informed congressional lawmakers that the agency distributed this paper to nationwide field offices.
The FBI stated:
“In addition to [redaction], engage in outreach to the leadership of other [Society of Saint Pius X] chapels in the FBI Richmond [area of responsibility] to sensitize these congregations to the warning signs of radicalization and to enlist their assistance to serve as suspicious activity tripwires.”
This was stated in a document titled “Opportunities” on January 23.
According to the Judiciary Committee, the FBI also identified two additional chances to interact with religious organizations in the Richmond area, citing a desire “to sensitize the congregation to the warning signs of radicalization and enlist their assistance to serve as suspicious activity tripwires.”
According to the materials, the FBI also desired to “exploit existing sources and/or conduct Type 5 Assessments to build new sources with the placement and access” to provide information on suspicious activity.
In February, Mr. Jordan and Rep. Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, requested information from the FBI regarding a different document with the heading “Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities” dated January 23 from the Richmond Field Office.
After their initial request, Mr. Jordan and Mr. Johnson claimed they had heard nothing from the FBI. In a letter dated March 20, they renewed their plea. The congressmen claimed the FBI gave them “a subpar and incomplete response.”
Fox News guest host on possibility that the FBI may have sent undercover agents to spy on Catholic churches: "Well, the next question needs to be — what other religions have been targeted?"
Yeah, can you imagine? The feds spying on other non-Christian religious services? pic.twitter.com/JRgYdYLrf4
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) April 11, 2023
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