WASHINGTON, March 10: US President George Bush has signed into law a controversial act that critics say violates basic human rights such as individual privacy and the right to seek legal aid.

At a ceremony at the White House on Thursday afternoon, the president put his signature on documents reauthorising the Patriot Act a day before 16 of its provisions were to expire.

“The bill I sign today extends these vital provisions. It also gives our nation new protections and added defences,” Mr Bush told reporters at the ceremony.

“The Patriot Act has accomplished exactly what it was designed to do,” Mr Bush said. “It has helped us detect terror cells, disrupt terrorist plots and save American lives.”

The Patriot Act was introduced soon after the Sept 11, 2001, t attacks and Mr Bush said its extension enables US intelligence and law enforcement officials to continue to share information used to catch terrorists, drug dealers and other criminals.

The reauthorisation of the Patriot Act, like the original, ‘will improve our nation’s security while we safeguard the civil liberties of our people, Mr Bush said.

Critics, ranging from Wisconsin Democratic Senator Russell Feingold to former Georgia Republican Congress-man Bob Barr, have questioned the sweeping ‘anti-terror law which, they say, has been misnamed the USA Patriot Act. They, however, noted that their efforts led to the inclusion of at least some modest protection of civil liberties in the version that passed the Senate.

The compromise measure gives recipients of secret subpoenas the right to challenge an accompanying order not to discuss the case publicly - although not until after a year has passed.