Republicans in US House of Representatives quash Patriot Act provisions

He also speculated that most Americans want the government to use stronger tools to fight terrorism.

A much-hyped protest last year against body scanners fizzled as many said preventing another terrorist attack warranted some discomforts.

Jeannine Escobar, an American citizen who now lives in the UK, is opposed to the unnecessary expansion of counter-terrorism surveillance powers.

"There is little evidence that stricter surveillance laws could have prevented or will prevent those tragedies," Escobar argued. "I feel uncomfortable just thinking that someone could be bugging my phone."

Agencies contributed to the story