Secret federal court approves extended phone tracking

WASHINGTON: The secret federal court overseeing wiretapping programs in the United States (US) has extended the government’s authority to collect US telephone records, the office of the Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said late Friday.

Clapper “has decided to declassify and disclose publicly that the government filed an application with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court seeking renewal of the authority to collect telephony metadata in bulk, and that the court renewed that authority,” the statement read.