'Anti-terrorism' plans breach US constitution

US Attorney General John Ashcroft has asked Congress to approve so-called "anti-terrorism" legislation which breaches the US constitution.

Mr Ashcroft and the Bush administration want to let the FBI and other police agencies seize billing information like credit card numbers from Internet companies without a court order.

The proposed legislation would also allow the use of electronic surveillance gathered by foreign governments using methods which violate the US constitution’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure methods.

The moves have caused alarm among American civil liberties activists.