Bush vows swift action in FBI records scandal

ANCHORENA PARK, Uruguay, Mar 10 (Reuters) US President George W Bush pledged swift action today over findings that the FBI illegally or improperly obtained private records during terrorism and espionage investigations.

Bush, visiting Uruguay on a Latin American tour, insisted he had confidence in FBI Director Robert Mueller and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, despite a Justice Department report of FBI misconduct that has sparked a congressional outcry.

The report added fuel to the fire for the Democratic Party and others criticizing the Bush administration for weakening protections of civil liberties in its war on terrorism after the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001.

The report by Inspector General Glenn Fine's office rebuked the FBI for demanding, without a court order, customer records from telephone companies, Internet service providers, banks and credit card firms.

''We'll address the problems in the report as quickly as possible,'' Bush said. Mueller had already begun work, he said.

''My question is: What are you going to do to solve the problem and how fast can you get it solved?'' he said at a news conference with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez.

The findings of FBI abuses also came as Bush suffers from slumping approval ratings, largely over the 4-year-old war in Iraq, and confronts a newly Democratic-controlled Congress scrutinizing his administration's spending and strategy.

Under the USA Patriot Act, an anti-terrorism law signed after the September 11 attacks, the FBI can use so-called national security letters to compel the release of private information without authority from a judge or grand jury.

Justice Department officials said the FBI can get the records but not the content of communications.

'PART OF THE PROBLEM' The American Civil Liberties Union called on Congress to repeal the provision of the Patriot Act that allows the FBI to use national security letters.

''The inspector general's report should come as no surprise,'' said Anthony Romero, executive director of the ACLU. ''The attorney general and the FBI are part of the problem and they cannot be trusted to be part of the solution.'' While Democrats in Congress have vowed to investigate the findings, Bush said ''the IG report, which justly made issue of FBI shortfallings, also made it clear that these letters were important to the security of the United States.'' The report found 26 possible violations, including requests by the FBI for information without adequate authorization, improper requests under the law and unauthorized collection of telephone or e-mail records.

Gonzales said he was upset to learn the FBI did not have sufficient controls and failed to follow its own policies.

''Undoubtedly, some will argue that the FBI should forfeit its authority to use this tool,'' Gonzales said. ''Instead, I would urge patience, that we not rush to judgment and allow these substantial corrective measures time to work.'' REUTERS MS RAI2323