Privacy panel defends NSA foreign data sweep

by Rob Lever, Ivan Couronne

WASHINGTON – An independent privacy review board Wednesday defended the National Security Agency’s vast foreign intelligence data sweep efforts, despite objections from civil liberties activists.

The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, a panel created on the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission, formally adopted a report which called the NSA’s overseas surveillance a valuable and legal tool in thwarting terrorism.