Telecoms Assured Wiretap Program OK’d by AG

Telecommunications companies that cooperated with a terrorism wiretap program relied on letters that said the attorney general and White House counsel endorsed the activities.

The Senate Intelligence Committee released that information in a report on Friday to explain why it approved a bill that would give the companies immunity for their cooperation, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.).

Companies including AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. are among telecoms that have been named in lawsuits contending their participation in the warrantless wiretap program violated customers’ privacy rights.