The US President George W Bush has signed a sweeping anti-terrorism bill into law to give police and intelligence agencies new powers.
He said the bill would counter a threat like "no other our nation has ever faced".
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Mr George W Bush
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The legislation expands the FBI's wiretapping and electronic surveillance authority and imposes stronger penalties for harbouring or financing terrorists. It also increases the number of crimes considered terrorist acts and toughens the punishment for committing them.
"Today, we take an essential step in defeating terrorists while protecting the constitutional rights of all Americans. This government will enforce this law with all the urgency of a nation at war," said the president.
The bill also gives police wide-ranging new anti-terrorism powers to secretly search people's homes and business records and to eavesdrop on telephone and computer conversations.
Yesterday the US Attorney General Mr John Ashcroft said the Justice Department would begin using the new powers immediately.
"Upon the president's signature, I will direct investigators and prosecutors to begin immediately seeking court orders to intercept communications related to an expanded list of crimes under the legislation," he said.
AP