[Sixstrings]

I don't see it here in this CNN article, but I've got MSNBC on and they're saying the FBI flew planes in circles during the Baltimore riot, and that the planes can track where everyone is and who they are, by their cell phone signals, even if they are not making calls.

Does the FBI have a secret surveillance air force?

Washington (CNN)The FBI uses a fleet of planes registered under fictitious companies in order to conduct warrantless surveillance during federal, state and local investigations. The surveillance is conducted without a court order, but with oversight from within the Department of Justice, according to a senior law enforcement official.

Aerial surveillance by the FBI is nothing new, but a review by The Associated Press published this week reported that the scale of the fleet is larger than previously known and the planes are registered in a way to mask that they are owned by the FBI.

The agency flew above more than 30 cities in 11 states over a 30-day period, according to the AP review, and their report also said planes was masked by the existence of at least 13 fictitious companies.

"At least 115 planes, including 90 Cessna aircraft, were mentioned in a federal budget document from 2009," the AP reported.

The Department of Justice Inspector General published an oversight report on the FBI's aviation operations in 2012, but it was heavily redacted. Specific information on the size of the fleet, its cost and how often it was used were blacked out in the public version of the report.

In a statement, FBI spokesperson Christopher Allen said the bureau's aviation unit is no secret and described the secrecy as "protected for operational security purposes."

"FBI routinely uses aviation assets in support of predicated investigations targeting specific individuals. The aircraft are not equipped, designed, or used for bulk collection activities or mass surveillance. The FBI uses all tools and equipment, and conducts all investigations, in accordance with the Attorney General Guidelines and the FBI's Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide.

The senior law enforcement official confirmed the existence of the fleet of planes to the CNN and said they are registered under fictitious companies because the FBI wants to be as discreet as possible.

"Anytime you mask your activity for operational or safety reasons you use a front company," said the official. "You don't want to put people on to what you're doing — we know we're going to need air aviation support for cases."

The planes, which are equipped for electronic surveillance, are used both for FBI investigations and also at the request of state and local officials, according to the FBI. During recent Baltimore riots, for instance, the FBI used the surveillance aircraft at the request of the Baltimore Police Department. The aircraft were also used during the search for disappeared California teenager Hannah Anderson in 2013.

The FBI released video of Anderson's rescue that was captured from a surveillance plane.

The FBI has also previously acknowledged using drones for domestic surveillance.

According to the senior law enforcement official, the FBI does not need a court issued warrant to fly these surveillance planes because of rules established by the Department of Justice. The same official says that before a plane is used, it is signed off on by various levels of DOJ.

The law enforcement official says if someone knew a plane belonged to the FBI it would easily compromise the investigative utility of plane and it would leave those planes vulnerable to sabotage. It's a safety issue for the pilots, according to the official.

"The fact that FBI has aviation assets has never been a secret," according to the official. "We don't publicize it for obvious reasons you don't want to draw attention to tools you use in the investigation. The official said that while there is no judge involved in the process, there is "rigorous oversight and approval" before the surveillance flights are used.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/02/politics/fbi-airplane-surveillance/

[vox_mundi]

Below is a listing of 100 FBI aircraft registered to non-existent shell companies. At least 13 front companies that AP identified being actively used by the FBI are registered to post office boxes in Bristow, Virginia, which is near a regional airport used for private and charter flights. Only one of them appears in state business records. The US Department of Justice can claim plausible deniability for owning and operating these aircraft however that is a flimsy defense. At the time of posting, a number of these aircraft may be airborne over American cities, equipped with surveillance, stingray, or other hardware.

To track aircraft on your own use: http://www.flightradar24.com/38.25,-75.95/6

FBI may have grounded the fleet or re-registered them under other shell companies

LOCATIONS OF REGISTRATION
BRISTOW, VA; WILMINGTON, DE; NEWARK, DE; KIRKLAND, WA;

FVX RESEARCH:
N984JS
N964JR
N319KS
N806TH
N687RT

KQM AVIATION:
N562CB
N612BK
N813JH
N411CP
N302MP
N223EM

LCB LEASING:
N274BB
N361DB
N576DS

NBR AVIATION:
N986DK
N514NY
N311SB

NORTHEAST AIRCRAFT LEASING CORP:
N212EB

SOUTHEAST AIRCRAFT LEASING CORP:
N58209
N6362T


NORTHWEST AIRCRAFT LEASING CO:
N309JK
N8208C
N969JL
N981GT

NBY PRODUCTIONS:
N981MR
N910LF
N428MT
N143GM
N731CL

NG RESEARCH:
N921LS
N539MY
N527KM
N290RM
N901RM


OBR LEASING:
N912EX
N318SJ
N404KR
N142LJ
N168GP
N495BJ
N610AG

OTV LEASING:
N986MT
N629ET
N514KM
N811AH
N102BR
N168DK

PSL SURVEYS:
N959JT
N916WR
N879WM
N467TS
N326PS

PXW SERVICES:
N182EM
N143GS
N267RH
N657TP
N520EP

RKT PRODUCTIONS:
N913JC
N906TM
N461AJ
N323LP

NATIONAL AIRCRAFT LEASING CORP:
N495WW
N712MS
N859JA
N232DW
N248CF
N249DB
N251SR
N288JY
N324EB
N324SJ
N370JH
N385RB
N510KS
N536GR
N557PG
N608SH
N622FH
N632MR
N632TK
N64057
N8210G
N831EM
N907WK
N922MK
N949RL
N956D
N962JB
N962PB
N972SM
N986W
N496WW
N728MP

WORLDWIDE AIRCRAFT LEASING CORP:
N245RB
N208EB
N236KS
N239LF
N301A
N8211P
N969PL
N971N

Posted yesterday happy-camper-not-anymore-ever-t70660-20.html#p1251156

[onlooker]

haha, thanks Vox for those intricate details. Yeah thank goodness that at least they are not with the drone assassination squad, then I would have to duck for cover everything I heard some noise in the sky.

[Sixstrings]

Lol, gas.