Fed gleans intelligence from money movements

The Federal Reserve bills its services to foreign central banks as "safe and confidential" but the central bank allows other agencies access to the data for foreign intelligence services.

About 250 foreign central banks and governments keep $3.3 trillion in assets at the Fed. They may reconsider on a Reuters report today that movements of money can be used against them.

Then again, it cites only 7 examples over the past 15 years, so don't expect a run on the Fed.

It does show that it's the New York Fed who determines who is the owner of a central bank account if there is an uprising or civil war, as was the case in Libya.