US Appeals Court: NSA's Spy Program Goes Too Far

A U.S. appeals court has rejected the National Security Agency's bulk collection of American's telephone records.

The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said the NSA has gone too far, exceeding what Congress actually allowed.

The battle highlights the tough balance between protecting privacy and the nation's security.

Alex Abdo, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union who argued the case before the three-judge panel in September, called the ruling a "resounding victory for the rule of law."

"For years, the government secretly spied on millions of innocent Americans based on a shockingly broad interpretation of its authority," the AFP quoted Abdo.

"The court rightly rejected the government's theory that it may stockpile information on all of us in case that information proves useful in the future," he said.

Still, the court did not block the program, saying it is now up to Congress to decide if it should continue.