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           New York Times: AT&T Helped NSA Spy on Emails, Phone Calls

   by VOA News

   U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T gave valuable assistance to the
   National Security Agency's program to spy on domestic Internet and
   telephone traffic, according to The New York Times.

   The newspaper Saturday cited newly disclosed NSA documents leaked by
   fugitive former contractor Edward Snowden.

   While the documents do not specifically name AT&T, they use code names
   that the Times and several ex-intelligence officials said point to the
   telecommunications company.

   The article says the documents are dated from 2003 through 2013 and
   show how AT&T used legal rules and secret court orders to give the NSA
   access to billions of emails sent through its U.S. network. They
   include Internet traffic at U.N. headquarters in New York.

   It also handed over more than 1 billion telephone call records to the
   NSA.

   According to the documents, the NSA regarded AT&T as a partner in the
   domestic surveillance business, not a contractor.

   An AT&T spokesman said the company does not comment on national
   security issues.

   Documents leaked by Snowden showing that the NSA had spied on the
   telephone calls and emails of U.S. citizens and foreigners with no
   court order outraged millions who saw the actions as violations of
   their right to privacy.

   The NSA says the activities helped foil several terrorist plots and
   were a key in keeping the country safe.

   The administration of former President George W. Bush authorized the
   spying under the Patriot Act, which Congress passed not long after the
   September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

   President Barack Obama signed a bill earlier this year reforming the
   way the NSA collects electronic communications.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/new-york-times-att-helped-spy-emails-
   phone-calls/2919470.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/new-york-times-att-helped-spy-emails-phone-calls/2919470.html