Bush's law chief quits week after US election

One of the most controversial figures in President Bush's cabinet has resigned a week after the US election.

Attorney-general John Ashcroft had been attacked by civil liberties groups for his tough new laws after the September 11 terror attacks.

He was the architect of the notorious "Patriot Act'' that saw thousands of terrorist suspects locked up without charge or trial and gave sweeping new powers to the FBI.

He was also behind new rules that require British and other foreign visitors to be photographed and fingerprinted when entering the US.

A right-wing evangelical Christian, Mr Ashcroft, 62, has suffered from poor health in recent months and was widely expected to step down. His relationship with the White House had cooled after an official report blamed the FBI for failing to detect clues that might have stopped the September 11 plot.

Mr Ashcroft became a figure of fun after ordering a cover-up of nude statues at the Justice Department when he was giving a press conference. He also tried to keep up Mr Bush's spirits after September 11 by singing hymns at the piano accompanied by national security adviser Condoleezza Rice.

But he will be best remembered for the Patriot Act, which gives US law enforcement agencies unprecedented powers to pry into the lives of ordinary Americans. He was appointed after being beaten in the 2000 Senate race in Missouri, even though his opponent had been killed in an accident days before.

In a five-page hand-written letter, Mr Ashcroft claimed: "The object of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'' He added: "The Department of Justice would be well served by new leadership and fresh inspiration.''

One possible candidate for the job is former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Speculation is growing that secretary of state Colin Powell, a rare moderate voice, is also ready to quit.