SAN FRANCISCO, July 19: The US government plans to recruit millions of United States citizens as domestic informants in a programme that has already alarmed the civil liberties groups.

The Terrorism Information and Prevention System, or TIPS, means the US will have a higher percentage of citizen informants than the former East Germany through the infamous Stasi secret police.

The programme would use a minimum of four per cent of Americans to report “suspicious activity”.

Civil liberties groups have already warned that, with the passage earlier this year of the Patriot Act, there is potential for abusive, large-scale investigations of US citizens.

As with the Patriot Act, TIPS is being pursued as part of the so-called ‘war against terrorism’.

The Patriot Act already provides for a person’s home to be searched without any notice, or plant any surveillance device without bringing it into his notice.

Highlighting the scope of the surveillance network, TIPS volunteers are being recruited primarily from among those whose work provides access to homes, businesses or transport systems.