NSA Chief Attributes Calls For Restriction of Government Surveillance on "Sensationalized" Reporting and "Media Leaks"

Wants government and technology leader to "get the facts out"

The leader of the embattled National Security Agency doubled down Wednesday against calls from Capitol Hill to restrict U.S. government surveillance programs — a campaign he attributed to "sensationalized" reporting and "media leaks."

Gen. Keith Alexander instead emphasized the NSA isn't "listening to Americans' phone calls and reading their emails," and he urged technology and government leaders at a cybersecurity conference in Washington to help "get the facts out" and "get our nation to understand why we need these tools" in the wake of Edward Snowden's disclosures.