2008 State of the Union address: on Homeland Security

George W. Bush: FactCheck: Wiretapping authority foiled no terrorist plots

The London plot, however, was actually broken up in August 2006 by British law enforcement, according to news accounts at the time and also according to Bush himself. If wiretaps by US officials played any role, no administration official has yet said so publicly, despite plenty of opportunity.

To be sure, at other times Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff has said there was some involvement by the US, though he has yet to say what that role was. We find no public claim that the special wiretap program secretly authorized by Pres. Bush after the 2001 terrorist attacks had anything to do with foiling the plot.