Strasbourg, April 15 (RHC)-- The European Union has adopted a new security law purported to track terrorist suspects traveling to or from conflict zones who may pose a security threat to Europe. The European Parliament, the legislative arm of the 28-member EU, approved the Passenger Name Record (PNR) law on Thursday by 461 votes to 179, with nine abstentions.

Under the law, government authorities are given special access to information routinely collected by airlines from passengers, such as travel dates, itineraries and credit card details. EU officials say the new law would help prevent terrorist attacks such as the ones that recently occurred in France and Belgium.

However, the initiative has been criticized for giving governments wide access to personal data. And the adoption of the new law comes at a time of growing anti-Muslim sentiments across Europe amid the refugee crisis. Analysts say the law will specifically target Muslims.