Swiss voters have voted in a referendum whether to back new surveillance powers for the country's intelligence agencies. The new law would allow the authorities to tap phones, snoop on email and deploy hidden cameras and bugs. It would help Switzerland catch up with other countries, supporters say. But opponents fear it could erode civil liberties and put Swiss neutrality at risk by requiring closer co-operation with foreign intelligence agencies.<br/><br/>Public opinion polls indicate that at least 55 per cent of voters will come out in favour of the proposed measures, which would allow the Federal Intelligence Service and other agencies to put suspects under electronic surveillance if authorised by a court, the defence ministry and the cabinet. <br/><br/>The Swiss government says the powers would be used about once a month to monitor the highest-risk suspects.<br/>Swiss law currently prevents authorities from relying on anything more than publicly available information or tips from foreign officials when monitoring domestic threats.<br/><br/>The new surveillance law was passed last year but has not yet been enacted after opponents collected enough signatures to force a referendum under Switzerland's system of direct democracy.