Germany Summons US Ambassador Over Claim NSA Bugged Merkel's Phone

Guido Westerwelle, Germany's Foreign Minister

THE GUARDIAN: Allegations that US spying has reached highest level of government met with outrage and disappointment in Germany

Germany's foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, has called the US ambassador to a personal meeting to discuss allegations that US secret services bugged Angela Merkel's mobile phone.

The decision to call in John B Emerson, who has only been the US representative in Berlin since mid-August, is an unusually drastic measure. During previous upheavals in relations, such as over the Syrian crisis, conversations have taken place between diplomats.

Allegations that the US government's spying had reached the highest level were met with outrage and disappointment in Germany on Thursday. The country's defence minister, Thomas de Maiziere, told ARD television that it would be "really bad" if the reports turned out to be true. Washington and Berlin could not return to "business as usual", he said.

Suddeütsche Zeitung conveyed a strong sense of the depth of disillusionment with the US president in Germany when it wrote that "Barack Obama is not a Nobel peace prize winner, he is a troublemaker".

In a comment piece in the German broadsheet, Robert Rossmann wrote that during his last visit to Germany, "the American president had flamboyantly promised more trusting collaboration between the countries. Even Merkel seems to have lost faith in that promise by now. One doesn't dare imagine how Obama's secret services deal with enemy states, when we see how they treat their closest allies." » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Thursday, October 24, 2013

Angela Merkel's Phone 'May Have Been Tapped by US'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Chancellor Angela Merkel's personal mobile phone may have been monitored by the US, a German government spokesman has said

Germany has received information that US intelligence may be spying on the mobile phone of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who called President Barack Obama to protest, her spokesman said.

"The chancellor today telephoned President Obama" and "made clear that she unequivocally disapproves of such practices, should they be confirmed, and regards them as completely unacceptable," spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement released on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama sought to assure Mrs Merkel that the US is not monitoring her communications after the Chancellor raised the issue.

Jay Carney, the White House spokesman, said that the allegations that they had intentionally tapped her phone were untrue.

"Today President Obama and Chancellor Merkel spoke by telephone regarding the allegations that the US National Security Agency intercepted the communications of the German chancellor. » | Josie Ensor, and Raf Sanchez in Washington | Wednesday, October 23, 2013

French Resistance: Hollande Backs Tougher EU Privacy Laws After NSA Backlash

In the international arena, sometimes even best friends fall out. President Obama made an apologetic call to his French counterpart over allegations the NSA has spied on millions in France, an argument which is causing real friction in the historic alliance between Paris and Washington. In just a single month the agency intercepted more than 70 million calls - prompting Hollande to join the growing club of those urging tougher privacy laws in the EU. The French leader is planning to address the European summit later this week. EU lawmakers have already backed new laws to protect information, which would prevent transfers of data to third countries ... a practice the U.S. exploited. But Paul Murphy - an Irish member of the European Parliament - doubts Washington will learn anything from its mistakes.

Ex-French PM: Terrorism Can't Justify Spying On Citizens!

Uproar in France over revelations the NSA has spied on millions of its citizens, has forced Washington to make one of its strongest admissions yet regarding its surveillance practices. After a phone conversation between Barack Obama and President Francois Hollande, the White House conceded the latest claims raise legitimate questions. To discuss this further we can now go live to Paris and talk to the renowned French politician Dominique de Villepin, who served as the country's Prime, Interior and Foreign Ministers.

Snowden: France Summons US Envoy Over Spying Claims

Laurent Fabius, French Foreign Minster

BBC: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius says claims that the US spied on millions of phone calls in France are "totally unacceptable".

Le Monde says the data, based on leaks from ex-intelligence analyst Edward Snowden, suggest the US NSA agency monitored businesses and officials as well as terrorism suspects.

The intercepts were apparently triggered by certain key words. (+ BBC video) » | Monday, October 21, 2013

'Cameron Declares War On Investigative Journalism'

The British Prime Minister has called for an investigation into whether the Guardian newspaper broke the law - by publishing the Edward Snowden leaks that sent shockwaves about American surveillance worldwide. A parliamentary committee is now looking into it. Tony Gosling joins RT to discuss David Cameron's gunning for The Guardian.

Guardian's NSA Revelations: Spies to Go Under Spotlight

THE GUARDIAN: Deputy PM Nick Clegg says public accountability and trust to be examined in review of surveillance powers

British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg is to start conversations in government about how to update the legal oversight of the UK's security services in the light of disclosures by the Guardian that powerful new technologies appear to have outstripped the current system of legislative and political oversight.

Clegg's aides said he would be calling in experts from inside and outside Whitehall to discuss the implications of the new surveillance technologies for public accountability and trust. It is the first time such a senior figure in government has conceded that the revelations published in the Guardian have highlighted concerns about the accountability of the security services.

Clegg hinted at his plans in his weekly phone-in on London's LBC radio, saying: "I think it is right to ask whether there is anything more we can do to make sure the public feel accountability is working in this area properly. There is a totally legitimate debate about the power of these technologies, about how you get the balance right, how you do make sure these technologies are used in an accountable and proportionate way." » | Patrick Wintour, Rowena Mason and Dan Roberts in Washington | Thursday, October 10, 2013

THE GUARDIAN EDITORIAL: Spies and journalism: when worlds collide: The raging global discussion about the proper limits of surveillance of the past few months will become harder to ignore » | Editorial | Thursday, October 10, 2013

'US Surveillance an Affront' - Brazil's Rousseff to UN Assembly 2013 (Full Speech)

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff lambasted US spying on her country at Tuesday's UN summit, calling it a "breach of international law." She further warned that the NSA surveillance, revealed since June, threatened freedom of speech and democracy.

Related »

Brazilian President: US Surveillance a 'Breach of International Law'

THE GUARDIAN: Dilma Rousseff's scathing speech to UN general assembly the most serious diplomatic fallout over revelations of US spying

Brazil's president, Dilma Rousseff, has launched a blistering attack on US espionage at the UN general assembly, accusing the NSA of violating international law by its indiscriminate collection of personal information of Brazilian citizens and economic espionage targeted on the country's strategic industries.

Rousseff's angry speech was a direct challenge to President Barack Obama, who was waiting in the wings to deliver his own address to the UN general assembly, and represented the most serious diplomatic fallout to date from the revelations by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. » | Julian Borger, New York | Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Digitally Offended: Brazil President Cancels US Visit Over NSA Scandal

Brazil's president has called off her visit to the United States in response to Washington's refusal to take action against the NSA's surveillance practices. This comes after whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that the Latin American nation is being spied on by American operatives with personal communications from ordinary citizens, and even President Dilma Rousseff herself, being intercepted. RT's Marina Portnaya has the story.

Related »

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff Calls Off US Trip

BBC: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has called off a state visit to Washington next month in a row over allegations of US espionage.

The US National Security Agency (NSA) has been accused of intercepting emails and messages from Ms Rousseff, her aides and state oil company, Petrobras.

The allegations were based on documents leaked by fugitive former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

President Barack Obama had promised to investigate the incident.

The White House said he had telephoned Ms Rousseff on Monday to discuss the matter.

The allegations of widespread espionage against Brazilian citizens were first published in July by Rio de Janeiro-based journalist Glenn Greenwald, a reporter for the British Guardian newspaper.

Mr Greenwald alleged that the NSA accessed all internet content that Ms Rousseff had visited online. » | Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Miranda Detention: 'Blatant Attack on Press Freedom'

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The detention of David Miranda -- partner of the Guardian journalist involved in the NSA revelations -- and the destruction of hard drives in the British newspaper's basement reveal one thing: Governments do not want their citizens to be informed when it comes to the topic of surveillance.

I woke up last Sunday in Berlin to an email from Glenn Greenwald with only one sentence: "I need to talk to you ASAP."

For the past three months, Glenn and I have been reporting on the NSA disclosures revealed to us by Edward Snowden.

I went online to the encrypted channel that Glenn and I use to communicate. He told me that he had just received a call telling him that his partner David Miranda was being detained at London's Heathrow airport under the Terrorism Act. David was traveling from Berlin where he had come to work with me. For the next six hours I was online with Glenn as he tried to find out what was happening to the person he loves most in the world. » | A Commentary by Laura Poitras | Monday, August 26, 2013

Janet Daley: It's Left-wing Prats Who Are Defending Our Freedoms

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The visit by national security agents to smash up computers at the Guardian newspaper is shocking, like something out of East Germany in the 1970s

A few weeks ago, a British national newspaper was visited by a detachment of national security agents who demanded that its computers and hard drives be destroyed. The security men then stood over its staff while they smashed their equipment to pieces. In the peace-time history of a free country, this incident is about as shocking as it gets. And yet, a remarkable consensus has grown up, including – I’m sorry to say – many on my side of the political fence, to the effect that this is no big deal.

The reasons that this scene – which looks, on the face of it, like something out of East Germany in the 1970s – is apparently perfectly acceptable seem to be: a) the data in the computers was a threat to the national security of this country and to that of our American allies; b) this information was stolen from the US government and published illegally by people who are narcissistic/eccentric/of dubious political judgment, and c) the newspaper in question was the Guardian, which is full of annoying Left-wing prats. Let’s consider these points in order of importance.

Taking a hammer to the hardware in the Guardian’s basement will make scarcely any difference to the dissemination of this data since duplicates reside in other locations around the globe. So presiding over the physical destruction of the newspaper’s property could only constitute a form of rather theatrical intimidation.

The official excuse for getting rid of the equipment – even though the data was known to exist elsewhere – was that the paper’s system might be insecure, so obliterating it meant that at least one source of potential leaks was eliminated. This would be far more credible if the National Security Agency (whose mass surveillance programme had been exposed) was as diligent in carrying out its prescribed function as it is in vindictively pursuing anyone who reports its unconstitutional activities to the world. Read on and comment » | Janet Daley | Saturday, August 24, 2013

My comment:

Guardianistas are defending our freedoms. Perhaps they don't call it The Guardian for nothing then.

PS: Excellent article by Janet Daley. – © Mark

This comment appears here too.

Windows Watching? Germany Fears OS Provides NSA with Remote Access

Leaked German security documents have shown the country doesn't trust the new Windows 8 system - fearing it provides the NSA with remote access. That's according to one of the country's newspapers - although the German government denies it. Earlier reports indicated the country was a major target for US intelligence - let's remind you how much data the NSA collected there.

Miranda Rights: UK Takes Flak over Detention of Greenwald's Partner, File Destruction

A judge has ruled British police won't be able to fully inspect a lap-top or other items taken from the partner of a journalist who was involved in publishing NSA spy leaks. David Miranda was detained and questioned for nine hours under the Terrorism Act in London. The government's been under fire ever since detaining him, as well as forcing the Guardian newspaper to destroy files containing NSA data.

Druck auf den "Guardian": Cameron soll Schikanen angeordnet haben

21.08.2013 - Unter Aufsicht des britischen Geheimdienstes mussten die NSA-Enthüller ihr Recherchematerial zerstören. Das berichtet der "Guardian"-Chefredakteur. Der britische Premierminister soll angeordnet haben, die Redaktion unter Druck zu setzen.

'Surveillance Can't Be Tolerated' - Correa Exclusively to RT

Just how much of the net is being watched by the NSA - may have previously been underestimated. A new report says the government's powers to intercept communications, including those of Americans - may be far more sweeping than previously thought. Speaking to RT, Ecuador's President Rafael Correa said that instead of ending the surveillance of its own people - the West spends all its energy hunting down supporters of whistleblowers.

UK Crackdown on Snowden Files

The British government's attempts to stem the tide of articles on mass surveillance have gone beyond intimidating the journalist behind the publications. Just a day after Glenn Greenwald's partner was detained at Heathrow airport, The Guardian's editor came forward describing how the authorities pressured the newspaper to destroy documents provided by NSA leaker Edward Snowden. The UK government has reportedly confirmed the move was sanctioned by the Prime Minister himself.

Alan Rusbridger of The Guardian: I Would Rather Destroy the Copied Files Than Hand Them Back to the NSA and GCHQ

The Guardian's editor reveals why and how the newspaper destroyed computer hard drives containing copies of some of the secret files leaked by Edward Snowden. The decision was taken after a threat of legal action by the British government, that could have stopped the reporting on the extent of American and British state surveillance revealed by the document

'UK Orders Guardian Hard Drives Destroyed to Gag Snowden Leaks'

UK authorities reportedly raided the Guardian's office in London to destroy hard drives in an effort to stop future publications of leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. To discuss this, RT talks to lawyer and journalist Eva Golinger.