Bush: Patriot Act defends liberty [View All]

[Khephra]

JUDY KEEN GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
HERSHEY, Pa. -- President Bush defended the Patriot Act on Monday and said none of the controversial anti-terrorism law's provisions should be allowed to expire.

"The Patriot Act defends our liberty," he said at a convention of township supervisors and emergency service personnel. "It's essential law."

Bush said the legislation should be expanded to allow subpoenas in terrorism cases to be issued without approval of a judge or grand jury, to allow terror suspects to be held without bail and to make sabotage of defense or nuclear facilities that results in loss of life punishable by death.

Critics say the law encroaches on civil liberties, but Bush called it necessary to prevent future attacks. "It's a law that is making America safer. ... It doesn't make any sense" to scale it back, he said.

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