N.Y. Times: NSA Acted on Its Own

The National Security Agency acted on its own to expand its domestic surveillance operations after 9/11 � without the formal approval of President Bush.

In the weeks following the terrorist attacks, the N.S.A. � whose mission is to eavesdrop on foreign communications � moved to identify terror suspects within the U.S. by easing restrictions on domestic eavesdropping, according to the New York Times.

The eavesdropping included tapping into some of the nation�s main telecommunications arteries in search of terrorist activity.

The new revelations concerning domestic surveillance have come to light in an October 11, 2001 letter � declassified on Tuesday - written by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden, then head of the N.S.A.

Following a classified briefing on N.S.A. surveillance activity, Pelosi � who was the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee at the time � wrote: "I am concerned whether, and to what extent, the National Security Agency has received specific presidential authorization for the operations you are conducting.�
Hayden�s reply indicated that the N.S.A. had received no such authorization from the president.

Hayden wrote: "In my briefing, I was attempting to emphasize that I used my authorities to adjust N.S.A.�s collection and reporting.�

Administration officials say Hayden had acted on the authority previously granted to the N.S.A. by a 1981 intelligence directive known as Executive Order 12333, the Times reports.

In 2002, President Bush signed a new executive order authorizing the N.S.A. to tap the private conversations of Americans suspected of having links to al-Qaida.