Bush Defends Phone-tapping Policy

The US president, George Bush, was forced to defend his decision to spy on suspected terrorists without court warrants again today, saying he would keep it up "for so long as the nation faces the continuing threat of an enemy that wants to kill American citizens".

In a rare press conference at the White House, Mr Bush said the spying, conducted by the National Security Agency without court oversight, was an essential element in the war on terror.

"As president of the United States and commander-in-chief I have the constitutional responsibility and the constitutional authority to protect our country," he said.

He made little effort to hide his anger at the manner in which details of the eavesdropping had emerged and said he "presumed" an investigation into the leak was taking place within the justice department.

"It was a shameful act for someone to disclose this important programme in a time of war," he said, adding that merely discussing the issue was helping enemies of the US, who continue to plot attacks.

The existence of the programme was disclosed last week, triggering substantial criticism in Congress. Mr Bush and other officials have said the spying involved monitoring phone calls and e-mails of individuals in the US believed to be plotting with terrorists overseas.

Normally, no wiretapping is permitted in the US without a court warrant, but Mr Bush said he approved the action without such orders "because it enables us to move faster and quicker. We've got to be fast on our feet".

"It is legal to do so. I swore to uphold the laws. Legal authority is derived from the constitution," he added. Mr Bush emphasised that only international calls were monitored without a court order, and said calls placed and received within the US would only be monitored, as has long been the case, after an order is granted by a secret court under the provisions of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Earlier today, the US attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, said Congress had given Mr Bush authority to spy on suspected terrorists in the US in legislation passed after the September 11 2001 attacks.