US National Security Agency Chief has said the NSA's data gathering programs have prevented potential terrorist attacks more than 50 times since September 11th, 2001.

General Keith Alexander said it in testimony to the US House of Representatives intelligence committee Tuesday, in an attempt to defend the programs that have been under fire.

General Keith Alexander, NSA head, lawmakers defend U.S. surveillance programmes. [Agencies]

Alexander and other intelligence officials have made several trips to Capitol Hill recently to testify on the value of the sensitive NSA surveillance programs. The programs have been criticized following the public disclosure of them by Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor.

Snowden's leaks have ignited a political debate over the balance between privacy rights and national security. But President Barack Obama and congressional leaders in both parties have backed the programs and no significant effort has emerged to roll them back.

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