CBS News Baltimore recently interviewed the original NSA whistleblower: William Binney. (See video below.)

Binney – the high-level NSA executive who created the agency’s mass surveillance program for digital information* – says that he warned Congress more than 10 years ago that the program was being abused to spy on Americans.

CBS notes:

Binney … became concerned that the government was spying on average Americans [soon after 9/11].

“The data that was being taken in was all about United States citizens,” he said. “They’re destroying our democracy is what they’re doing.”

Controversy about the tracking program went public earlier this year when another Maryland man, Edward Snowden, leaked classified documents. However, WJZ has learned Congress may have had a warning about this years ago. That’s when Binney says he first raised concerns his program had been turned against Americans.

“The government can’t admit a mistake,” Binney said. “They have to cover up everything.”

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“I think they’re violating the foundation of this country. The thing that makes this country strong are the rights and freedoms that we have in the Constitution,” he said.

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Binney says he thinks Edward Snowden did a great public service by forcing NSA surveillance into the spotlight.