Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with NSA to spy upon European leaders
According to a report by Danish Broadcaster – Danmarks Radio, the Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with the intelligence agency of the United States (U.S.) – National Security Agency (NSA) to spy upon European leaders.
The NSA collected information on officials from Germany, France, Sweden and Norway between 2012 and 2014. The NSA also spied upon the Chancellor of Germany – Angela Merkel.
The report claims NSA had access to extensive data streams that run through internet cables to and from Denmark and intercepted everything from text messages and telephone calls to internet traffic including searches, chats and messaging services.
Denmark, a close ally of U.S., hosts several key landing stations for subsea internet cables to and from Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (U.K.).
The entire set-up was codenamed “Operation Dunhammer”. The NSA obtained data using the telephone numbers of politicians as search parameters. The report follows an investigation by the broadcaster involving interviews with 9 sources, all of whom were said to have had access to classified information held by the FE. Apart from Merkel, the then Foreign Minister of Germany – Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Opposition Leader – Peer Steinbruck were also spied upon.
Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary of State for European Affairs – Clement Beaune said, “It is extremely serious, we need to see if our partners in the EU, the Danes, have committed errors or faults in their cooperation with American services.”
The Defence Minister of Denmark – Trine Bramsen, who had reportedly been earlier informed of the espionage, told Danmarks Radio that “systematic wiretapping of close allies is unacceptable.” Meanwhile, both NSA and FE have not commented on the report.
Separately, similar reports had emerged in 2013, a former contractor for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – Edward Snowden leaked to media that Merkel’s phone was tapped by the NSA. He had also accused the then Vice President and Current President of U.S. – Joe Biden of being deeply involved in the matter. However, the White House gave no outright denial, but said Merkel’s phone was not being bugged at that time and would not be in future.
Talking it to twitter, Snowman tweeted,
Biden is well-prepared to answer for this when he soon visits Europe since, of course, he was deeply involved in this scandal the first time around.
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) May 30, 2021
There should be an explicit requirement for full public disclosure not only from Denmark, but their senior partner as well. https://t.co/TJL7gr6dy8
Post that, he was charged with theft of Government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence. He later took refuge in Russia.
