US Supreme Court to decide terrorism support law, the Patriot Act

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• 1996 law strengthened as part of Patriot Act in 2001
• "Vital part" of efforts to fight terrorism - US

The U.S. Supreme Court said on Wednesday it would hear an Obama administration appeal defending part of the Patriot Act, which has been criticized by civil liberties groups for giving the government broad powers.

The justices agreed to review a U.S. appeals court ruling that struck down as unconstitutionally vague a law that makes it a crime to provide support to a foreign terrorist group.

The law, first adopted in 1996, was strengthened by the USA Patriot Act supported by then-President George W. Bush and approved by Congress right after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. It was amended again in 2004.