Records-search plan alarms civil-liberties groups

By Alan ElsnerMon May 23, 4:47 PM ET

U.S. civil-liberties groups said on Monday they were alarmed at new provisions to be considered in Congress this week to strengthen the government's ability to seize private records without judicial review.

Officials from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Open Society Institute and the Center for Democracy and Technology said in a telephone conference call the new provisions to the USA Patriot Act would allow the FBI to secretly demand medical, tax, gun-purchase, travel and other records without approval from a judge.

The act was passed shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and 16 of its provisions are scheduled to expire at the end of this year unless Congress renews them.