WASHINGTON, June 12 (UPI) -- National Security Agency chief Keith Alexander said Wednesday the U.S. spy agency's secret programs have prevented dozens of terrorist plots.
Alexander told the Senate Appropriations Committee he intends to reveal specific information within days about the number of attacks that have been foiled by the covert collection of metadata from telephone and Internet records authorized under the Patriot Act, The Hill reported.
"I am pushing for that, and perhaps faster, if I don't get any kicks from [aides] behind me," Alexander said.
"I want the American people to know we're being transparent here."
The NSA's secretive domestic phone and Internet surveillance efforts have had a spotlight on them since former CIA analyst Edward Snowden revealed their existence.
Alexander said intelligence gathered by the programs "work together" with other intelligence sources, The Hill reported.
"These authorities complement each other," Alexander said.
