A new report says the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has violated U.S. privacy rules or acted beyond its legal authority thousands of times since being granted broad new powers in 2008.
"The Washington Post" newspaper said its report was based on secret documents and an internal NSA audit that it received earlier this summer from Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who has been charged with espionage by U.S. authorities.
Snowden was granted asylum in Russia this month.
"The Washington Post" report says most of the infractions committed by the NSA involved unauthorized surveillance of Americans or foreign intelligence targets in the United States.
It says the infractions ranged from significant violations of law, to typographical errors that resulted in unintended interceptions of U.S. e-mails and telephone calls.
"The Washington Post" newspaper said its report was based on secret documents and an internal NSA audit that it received earlier this summer from Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor who has been charged with espionage by U.S. authorities.
Snowden was granted asylum in Russia this month.
"The Washington Post" report says most of the infractions committed by the NSA involved unauthorized surveillance of Americans or foreign intelligence targets in the United States.
It says the infractions ranged from significant violations of law, to typographical errors that resulted in unintended interceptions of U.S. e-mails and telephone calls.