Homeland Security officials are testing a computer system that sifts through personal information on U.S. citizens to detect possible terrorist attacks, prompting concerns from lawmakers who have called for investigations.

The Washington Times reported on Thursday that the U.S. Homeland Security Department is testing the 'ADVISE' -- for Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight and Semantic Enhancement -- system, which the Government Accountability Office is investigating at the request of U.S. Rep. David R. Obey, D-Wis., to see if it violates privacy laws.

Data the system can mine include credit card records, telephone and Internet usage, medical records and travel and banking information.

The paper added that the system employs the same data-mining techniques developed by the Department of Defense's Total Information Awareness project banned by Congress in 2003 because of privacy violations.

In January, lawmakers introduced legislation that would require federal agencies to report to Congress on data-mining use.

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis told the Times, "Many Americans are understandably concerned about the idea of secret government programs analyzing their personal information. Congress needs to know more about the operational aspects and privacy implications of data-mining programs before these programs are allowed to go forward."

MS/KB