However, according to the report, the NSA had orders to collect data on only 42 suspects.
The document, published late on Tuesday, specified that the NSA collected through telecommunications services providers such phone calls data as originating and terminating telephone numbers, International Mobile Subscriber Identity numbers, telephone calling card numbers and calls duration.
Since the major terror attack in the United States on September 11, 2001, the NSA has been collecting data about the US citizens phone calls. However, the Freedom Act of 2015 stipulated that the US government should only gather the contacts and phone records of those people who were considered by the authorities as having links to terrorist organizations.
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