TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bush Signs New Law On Surveillance

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: July 11, 2008

WASHINGTON - President Bush signed a bill Thursday that overhauls rules about government eavesdropping and grants immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the United States spy on Americans in suspected terrorism cases.

He called it "landmark legislation that is vital to the security of our people."

Even before Bush signed the legislation, the American Civil Liberties Union said it would challenge the law in court.

The president said the bill gives the government anti-terrorism tools it needs without compromising Americans' civil liberties.

The ACLU's lawsuit was filed on behalf of several civil rights groups. It wants a federal judge in New York to rule that the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech and the right against unlawful search and seizure. It also asks that the judge permanently block intelligence officials from conducting surveillance under the law.

"The new law gives the government the power to conduct dragnet surveillance that has no connection to terrorism or criminal activity of any kind," argued Jameel Jaffer, director of the ACLU's National Security Projects.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT