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US senators seek probe into spying

Rebuffing assurances from George Bush, the US president, Republican and Democratic members of the US Senate's Intelligence Committee have called for an immediate inquiry into his authorisation of spying on Americans.

    President Bush has defended the eavesdropping on Americans



    "This is still a highly classified programme and there are details that it's important not be disclosed," Scott McClellan, White House spokesman, said. 

    Robust defence

    Bush, Dick Cheney, the US vice-president, and other senior administration officials have defended the policy of authorising - without court orders - eavesdropping on international phone calls and e-mails by Americans suspected of links to terrorism.
    They argue it was legal and provided the agility - beyond a 1978 law allowing court-warranted eavesdropping - to help defend the country after the 11 September, 2001 attacks. 

     Cheney insists that the spying
    programme was justified

    The White House also sought to play down the impact on civil liberties, arguing the programme was narrow in scope and that key congressional leaders were "briefed in the appropriate way" about the programme.
    Cheney, speaking to reporters during an overseas trip, forcefully defended the eavesdropping programme as necessary to the nation's defence.
    "And I don't think that there is anything improper or inappropriate in that and my guess is that the vast majority of the American people support that, support what we're doing, believe we ought to be doing it," he said.
    "So there's a backlash pending, I think the backlash is going to be against those who are suggesting somehow we shouldn't take these steps in order to defend the country," he said, speaking on a plane to Oman from Pakistan. 

    Raging controversy
    The eavesdropping programme is the latest in a series of administration policies in Bush's declared war on terrorism that have prompted questions over whether the line has been crossed between protecting the public and protecting civil rights. 


    SOURCE: Reuters


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