Report: US Security Agency Has Information of Americans' Phone Calls
11 May 2006
A U.S newspaper says the National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of millions of Americans, using data from three of the nation's biggest phone service providers.
USA Today says the National Security Agency uses information provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, which are reported to be working under contract with the NSA The three companies provide local and wireless phone service to more than 200 million customers in the U.S.
The newspaper says it has learned from sources familiar with the program that the NSA does not listen or record actual phone conversations, but uses the data to analyze the calling patterns of ordinary Americans in order to detect possible terrorist activities.
Under Section 222 of the U.S. Communications Act passed in 1934 and amended in 1996, telephone companies are prohibited from giving out information regarding their customers' calling habits.
In a statement given to USA Today, AT&T said it does not comment on matters of national security except to say that it assists law enforcement and government agencies charged with protecting national security "in strict accordance with the law."
Verizon issued a similar statement and said it is committed to safeguarding the privacy of its customers.
BellSouth said it does not provide any confidential customer information to the NSA "without proper legal authority."
The New York Times revealed last December that President Bush authorized the NSA to eavesdrop on the international phone calls and e-mails between people in the United States and suspected terrorists overseas.
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