And here it is: NSA chief: Surveillance helped stop "dozens" of threats [View all]

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"It's dozens of terrorist events that these have helped prevent," Army Gen. Keith Alexander, the NSA director and head of U.S. Cyber Command, said before the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said the exact number was classified but that he's working to publicly release those figures over the next week.

Alexander was testifying before the committee in a previously scheduled hearing on cybersecurity, but his appearance marked the first time an NSA official publicly testified before Congress since news broke that the agency is collecting all of Verizon's U.S. phone records, as well as internet content from non-U.S. internet users abroad.

In response to questions from Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Alexander said it was impossible to say that any one specific surveillance program was responsible for thwarting a terrorist attack.

"When I say dozens, what I'm talking about here is that these authorities complement each other in helping us identify different terrorist actions and help disrupt them," he said. "They complement each other, so what you're asking me is to state unequivocally 'A' or 'B' contributed solely to that -- the reality is they work together, and we've got to help make that clear to you."

Alexander said he "could not be more proud" of officials at the NSA and cyber command.

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http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57588969/nsa-chief-surveillance-helped-stop-dozens-of-threats/