FBI asks colleges to hand over files on all foreigners

The FBI has asked collegesacross America to pass on personal information about foreign students and staff to help prevent terrorist attacks, infuriating civil liberties activists and liberal politicians who believe the request is illegal.

The letters, sent to hundreds of universities in the past few weeks, seek the "names, addresses, telephone numbers, citizenship information, places of birth, dates of birth, and any foreign contact information" for all foreign staff and students.

This is the latest move by John Ashcroft, President George Bush's far right-wing Attorney General, to come under heavy criticism. He has been repeatedly accused of infringing the Bill of Rights with heavy-handed law enforcement techniques that have so far failed to net a single high- profile terrorism arrest.

According to The Washington Post, which revealed the request for information, Mr Ashcroft was told in a curt letter from two Democratic Senators last week that he was pushing the limits of his power.

Edward Kennedy and Patrick Leahy, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said: "This law requires both a court order and a showing that the request is specifically tailored to a terrorism investigation. The FBI request does not appear to fulfil either of these requirements."

A similar warning was issued by the Association of American College Registrars and Admissions Officers,which instructed 10,000 institutions not to pass on information unless served with a court order. "Non-consensual release of private student information ... could expose institutions to significant legal consequences," it said.

Questioned by the Post, a FBI spokesman admitted the request was strictly voluntary. "We can request it, and they can provide the information. They don't have to comply," he said, adding that several colleges had turned down the request.

After it was revealed that several of the 11 September hijackers had been enrolled in US colleges, several institutions passed on information on individuals.

Civil liberties advocates say Mr Ashcroft has too often ignored constitutional freedoms and shown special contempt for the rights of non-citizens.

Last week, several hundred people from the Middle East and Africa, who came forward voluntarily to register with the immigration authorities in California, were thrown in jail for minor irregularities. This week, three Arab and Iranian immigrant groups sued the government to try to stop similar arrests without a warrant.

* The Federal Aviation Administration has issued temporary flight restrictions over New York and Pasadena, California, over the New Year. Pilots will be allowed to fly no lower than 1,500 feet (450 metres) within a mile of the Statue of Liberty. There will also normal restrictions around Pasadena for the annual Rose Bowl college American football match.