STATEMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT:

"We are pleased the Supreme Court declined to consider a challenge of the government's lawful actions to detect and prevent international terrorism and espionage within our borders. It is vitally important that the government's intelligence and law enforcement officials coordinate their efforts to protect America from foreign threats to our national security. These actions were expressly authorized by the USA PATRIOT Act and the November 18, 2002 decision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review."

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