(2006-01-02) — The White House today said that the National Security Agency (NSA) has not tapped the phone lines or internet connections of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, despite recent remarks by the senator consistent with the mission and tactics of the al Qaeda terror network.

Sen. Schumer has taken the lead in recent days in attacking the Bush administration for its covert surveillance of communications from al Qaeda to U.S. residents. The Democrat said Sunday that whoever revealed to The New York Times details of the classified NSA program might not be a felon or traitor, but rather a ‘whistleblower’ deserving praise.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that, “although Sen. Schumer’s comments sound like al Qaeda talking points drafted by the public relations firm of Zarqawi, Zawahiri and Daschle, we have no evidence to suggest that the senator is receiving them from the terror organization by phone or email.”

“I’m sure that Sen. Schumer reads The New York Times and gets emails from the Democrat National Committee,” said Mr. McClellan. “Just because he’s mouthing the al Qaeda party line doesn’t mean he’s getting it directly from Osama bin Laden.”

The White House spokesman reiterated statements by President George Bush that secret NSA wiretaps have been strictly limited, and designed to prevent future attacks on U.S. soil.

“The NSA works to protect America from terrorists,” Mr. McClellan said. “The agency doesn’t have the mandate, or the time, to protect the Democrat party from Democrats.”

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