US Govt broke laws in spy crackdown: report

"Top aides to US President George W Bush have declined to confirm or deny a media report that he had ordered an unprecedented spy effort targeting US and foreign citizens inside the United States.

"But amid congressional calls to look into the matter, they insist Mr Bush always acted lawfully and protected civil liberties in his efforts to prevent a repeat of Al Qaeda's September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes.

"The New York Times says the President authorised the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2002 to monitor the international telephone calls and email messages of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people inside the United States without getting warrants previously required for internal spying.

"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she is "not going to comment on intelligence activities, because intelligence activities by their very nature are activities that are sensitive and that should not be compromised".

"'The President of the United States acted lawfully in every step that he has taken to defend the American people and to defend them within his constitutional responsibility,' Dr Rice told NBC television.

"At any given time since the order, the NSA monitored 500 people inside the United States and 5,000 to 7,000 people overseas suspected of having terrorist ties, the daily reports."
ABC

Bush silent over spy claim

Tagged: patriot+act, usa, liberty, civil+rights, civil+liberties