DOJ: US government exceeded surveillance authority

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) exceeded its surveillance authority of U.S. residents under a far-reaching telephone and Internet communications wiretap program, the U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday.

During routine oversight of the NSA surveillance program, DOJ and NSA officials "detected issues that raised concerns," the DOJ said in a statement.

"Once these issues were identified, the Justice Department ... took comprehensive steps to correct the situation and bring the program into compliance," the statement added. "The Justice Department takes its national security oversight responsibilities seriously and works diligently to ensure that surveillance under established legal authorities complies with the nation's laws, regulations and policies, including those designed to protect privacy interests and civil liberties."

The DOJ statement came after a New York Times report Wednesday saying the NSA in recent months has exceeded congressional limits on the surveillance program. The Times report, quoting unnamed government officials, said the spying was "significant and systemic" in its over-collection of U.S. residents' phone calls and e-mail messages.

The NSA appeared to deny that it overstepped its authority. The agency is "committed to upholding the law," said spokeswoman Judith Emmel. "Our intelligence operations, including procedures for collection and analysis, are in strict accordance with U.S. laws and regulations."

NSA intelligence programs are subject to oversight from the DOJ, Congress, and the Office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, she added. "Our employees work tirelessly for the good of the nation, and serve this country proudly," she said.

The new information about the NSA surveillance program sparked criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the tech trade group, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA).

Earlier this month, the DOJ filed a request for the dismissal of a lawsuit against the NSA for the surveillance program. CCIA President and CEO Ed Black said he was disappointed that the DOJ under President Barack Obama continues to defend the program.

"The new administration is not just defending those policies, but taking them a step further," Black said in a statement. "In its April court brief, the Obama DOJ argued that the government is completely immune from litigation for illegal spying and even that it can never be sued for violating federal privacy laws with surveillance techniques."

The CCIA called on Obama's administration to reverse course.

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