Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) U.S. Army General Keith Alexander testifies before a U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing on recently disclosed NSA surveillance programs, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington June 18, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the National Security Agency on Tuesday said U.S. surveillance programs had helped disrupt more than 50 possible attacks since September 11, 2001, as sympathetic members of Congress also defended the use of the top-secret spying operations.
In the first hearing dedicated to the surveillance programs since former NSA contactor Edward Snowden revealed them earlier this month, members of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee showed little will for significant reforms.
