Reading Room Document

Legal Authorities Supporting the Activities of the National Security Agency Described by the President

The activities described by the President, in which he has authorized the National Security Agency to intercept international communications into or out of the United States of persons linked to al Qaeda or an affiliated terrorist organization are lawful in all respects. The President's use of his constitutional authority, as supplemented by statute in the Authorization for Use of Military Force enacted on September 18, 2001, is consistent with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and is also fully protective of the civil liberties guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment. The OLC does not provide release dates for its opinions, so the release date listed is the date on which the opinion was authored. The original opinion is available at www.justice.gov/file/451046/download.

January 19, 2006