Wired News: Judge Halts NSA Snooping

The Bush administration’s warrantless eavesdropping on Amercians’ telephone and internet communications is unconstitutional and must stop immediately, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

The ruling is the first court order barring the National Security Agency’s ambitious domestic surveillance activities, which have spurred a string of lawsuits against the government and telecommunications companies around the country. It also marks a serious blow to the administration’s sweeping interpretation of executive authority under the Constitution, a stance that’s riled politicians and legal scholars alike.