say I’m a federal agent. I “know” this guy at this specific location is doing something illegal, maybe selling drugs, or maybe illegal betting. but no matter how hard I try I can’t seem to catch him through all the legal means available, so I can’t even get a warrant to ransack his place, what to do what to do…hey I know, hes so good at covering his tracks, maybe es a terrorist, report him (perhaps anonymously from the pay phone up the block) as a possible terrorist or enemy combatant. now i can extensively search everything. a few weeks later we’ve detained this guy, searched everything questioned his family and friends ruined his life threatened anyone that he knows and still found nothing more than the guy once in a while participates n illegal gambling, or had few joint stashed away. now he has been arrested for possession, he lost his job, no longer can pay taxes, and when he wants to sue the state for misuse of power he can’t because now he president steps in and invokes the state secrecy act, to have the procedures used to tear this mans life apart put under scrutiny would give an advantage to the evil people who want to hurt us. so now he has a criminal record, that can be looked at by any agency anywhere.

well if he wasn’t an enemy combatant before, I’m sure the thought has crossed his mind now.