Bush defends secret spying in US

US PRESIDENT George Bush has unapologetically defended his administration’s right to conduct secret spying in the United States as “critical to saving American lives”.

Since October 2001, the super-secret National Security Agency (NSA) has eavesdropped on the international phone calls and e-mails of people inside the United States without court-approved warrants.

Mr Bush said steps like these would help fight terrorists like those who were involved in the 9/11 plot.