US Senate passes electronic spying bill

WASHINGTON (AFP) — The US Senate on Wednesday passed a bill expanding legal authority for electronic wiretaps by spy agencies, handing victory to President George W. Bush after a standoff over anti-terror strategy.

The measure includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications firms which aided warrantless government surveillance operations following the September 11 attacks in 2001 -- a key demand of the White House.

The bill sparked fierce debate between civil liberties advocates who argue it eroded checks on the power of government and intelligence officials who feared the row was compromising their power to thwart terror attacks.

Senators voted 69 to 28 to pass the measure, and defeated several attempts to water down the immunity for telecoms firms.

Bush said the measure would help US intelligence agencies "learn who the terrorists are talking to, what they're saying, and what they're planning."

"This legislation is critical to America's safety. It ...