BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Sweden's Parliament by a narrow margin on Wednesday approved a controversial law that allows authorities to eavesdrop on all e-mail and telephone traffic that enters the country.

    The right-leaning government's slim majority helped secure 143-138 approval, despite strong opposition from left-leaning parties led by Social Democrats.

    Supporters argued the law — which takes effect in January — will provide a level of security against potential terrorists plotting attacks.

    But critics have slammed it as an invasion of privacy and an infringement on civil liberties. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Parliament Wednesday, some handing out copies of George Orwell's famed novel "1984," dealing with a fictional police state.

    The new powers will give Swedish defense officials the right to scan international phone calls, e-mails and faxes for sensitive keywords without a court order.

    The companies Swedish telecom TeliaSonera AB and Google Inc. and have called the measure the most far-reaching eavesdropping plan in Europe.

    Currently, e-mail and phone surveillance in Sweden requires a court order if police suspect a crime, although the intelligence agency is allowed to spy on airborne signals, such as radio and satellite traffic.

    The government rejects claims the law will give it unlimited powers to spy on its own citizens and maintains it will filter out domestic communications and is interested only in international traffic.

    (Agencies)