Canadian human rights attorney and author Maureen Webb discusses the comprehensive scope of government surveillance, and finds that the use of sophisticated methods to search for terrorists is not identifying the right suspects. [includes rush transcript]

Love letters, bank transactions, library books, scuba diving lessons…can the government actually use your personal information to predict whether you might be a terrorist?

A new book reveals the comprehensive scope of government surveillance, and finds that the use of sophisticated methods to search for terrorists is not identifying the right suspects.

In “Illusions of Security, Global Surveillance and Democracy in the Post 9/11 World,” human rights lawyer Maureen Webb argues the new global security system is threatening both American and global security while also undermining democracy worldwide.

Maureen Webb joins me now here in the firehouse studio. Welcome to Democracy Now!

• Maureen Webb, author of the new book "Illusions of Security: Global Surveillance and Democracy in the Post-9/11 World" (City Lights). She is a human rights lawyer and activist. She has spoken extensively on post-September 11 security and human rights issues. She is co-chair of the International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group and also the Coordinator for Security and Human Rights issues for Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada.