Attorney General, Eric Holder, has said that the President has authority to kill US citizens on American soil using unmanned drones, in “extraordinary circumstances”, like those on 9/11.

President Obama has been critized for his use of “targeted killing” of al-Qaeda suspects overseas. Targeted killing uses unmanned drones to take out individuals who pose a serious threat to US security. The government has used targeted killing to assassinate US citizens in Pakistan and Yemen. Critics argue that targeted killing of al Qaeda suspects has left between 474 and 881 civilians dead, including around 174 children.

Republican Senator Rand Paul has described the latest revelations as “more than frightening”, saying, “It is an affront the constitutional due process rights of all Americans.”

Mr Paul has demanded that the Obama administration clarify it’s position on the subject.

Read More: The Telegraph