Controversial surveillance bill passed in Sweden*

 2008-06-19

    STOCKHOLM, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The Swedish Parliament passed
Wednesday evening a controversial bill allowing the government to
monitor all SMS, e-mail and other data traffic crossing Swedish borders
with 143 in favor, 138 opposed and one parliamentarian abstaining.

    Faced with powerful criticism from the opposition, international
experts, and from within its own ranks, the government sent the bill
back to a parliamentary committee for further preparation to protect
personal integrity Wednesday morning.

    After the committee required that the centre-right government
safeguard individual rights further in an annex to the law to be voted
on in the autumn, the bill was narrowly passed by the Swedish lawmakers
Wednesday evening.

    The new law, set to take effect on January 1st, 2009, will enable
the Swedish National Defense Radio Establishment (FRA) to tap all
cross-border Internet and telephone communication.