FBI Underreporting Use of Patriot Act "National Security Letters"

From an AP report:

A blistering Justice Department report accuses the FBI of underreporting its use of the Patriot Act to force businesses to turn over customer information in terrorism cases….The report, to be released Friday, also says the FBI failed to send follow-up subpoenas to telecommunications firms that were told to expect them…..

Overall, the FBI underreported the number of national security letters it issued by about 20 percent between 2003 and 2005….. In 2005 alone, the FBI delivered a total of 9,254 letters relating to 3,501 U.S. citizens and legal residents.

The Patriot Act….allows the FBI to issue national security letters without a judge's approval in terrorism and espionage cases.