A U.S. court has ordered federal authorities to suspend an anti-terrorist wiretapping program, saying it is unconstitutional.
The federal judge in Michigan ruled (today/Thursday) that the program created by the Bush administration violates the constitutional rights to free speech and freedom from unreasonable searches.
A rights group, the American Civil Liberties Union, had filed a legal challenge to the program which allows eavesdropping on international phone calls and e-mails without warrants.
President Bush authorized the program after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. The president says he has the constitutional authority to create the program in an effort to protect the nation from additional terrorist threats.