"This is not information that we collected on European citizens, " he said, adding that the European media has misinterpreted the classified documents leaked by former US defense contractor Edward Snowden.
Instead, the information represented information that the US and its NATO allies have collected "in defense of our countries", he said.
Speaking at the same hearing, US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said the NSA and the US intelligence community do not spy indiscriminately on citizens of any country.
"We do not spy on anyone except for valid foreign intelligence purposes," he added.
He also warned Congress not to overreact to the media disclosures and thus undermine counterterrorism programmes.
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