The University of California at San Diego has abandoned plans to discipline a student group for providing a website link to a site supporting an organization designated as a terrorist group by the United States government.

The UCSD administration claimed web links violated the US Patriot Act's ban on providing "material support" to organizations identified as terrorist groups by the State Department.

However, in a letter sent to university officials, the American Association of University Professors and nine other organizations, all members of the Free Expression Network, argued the administration was interpreting the law too broadly and was violating free speech rights. "UCSD's interpretation would prevent any professor, student, or campus news organization from using links for scholarly and reportorial purposes," the organizations said in their letter.

Shortly after receiving the letter the university changed its position.

In an interview following receipt of the letter, UCSD vice chancellor for student affairs, Joseph Watson, told CNET's News. com the university had made a mistake and would not pursue disciplinary action against the student group.

"We agree with the signers of this letter that (website) links are a First Amendment right," Watson said.

AAUP associate counsel Ann Springer was delighted by the university's change of heart.

"Those who wish to educate about, learn about, and work to understand and critique terrorist organizations must be able to access, study and reveal the positions and arguments of those groups," Springer said.

"To argue otherwise, especially on a campus, where the search for truth and academic freedom is supposed to receive the highest priority, goes against the core values of the First Amendment."