Bush-Era NSA Documents Declassified Revealing Bulk Data Collections

National Intelligence Chief James Clapper has released declassified documents revealing how bulk data collecting began during the Bush administration.

Clapper explained in a statement on Saturday that President George W Bush first authorised the spying in October 2001, as part of the Terrorist Surveillance Program, just after the 9/11 attacks. Bush disclosed the program in 2005.

The Terrorist Surveillance Program, which had to be extended every 30-60 days by presidential order, was eventually replaced by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a law that requires a secret court to authorise the bulk collection.

The US president, Barack Obama, hinted on Friday that he would consider some changes to the NSA’s bulk collection of Americans’ phone records to address the public’s concerns about privacy.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.