Denmark’s Cooperation with US Intelligence Agency in Spying on European Leaders
Communications of leaders and politicians from several European countries, including the German Chancellor and the country’s former foreign minister, were wiretapped for years. It is reported that Denmark’s intelligence organization cooperated with the US National Security Agency in this matter.
Spying on European leaders and politicians by the US intelligence agency (NSA) is not a new issue. What is new in this context is the cooperation of Denmark’s intelligence organization with the US National Security Agency in wiretapping and spying on European leaders and politicians.
Reuters news agency, citing a Danish media outlet, “Danske Rundfunk,” reported on the intelligence cooperation between Denmark and the US spy agency regarding the wiretapping of phone calls and spying on leaders and politicians from several European countries, including Germany.
It is stated that the disclosure of the cooperation between Denmark’s intelligence organization and the US National Security Agency resulted from joint investigations by the aforementioned Danish media outlet with several German media organizations, including the newspaper “Süddeutsche” and two German broadcasters, NDR and WDR.
In Germany, the phone communications of Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor; Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the country’s former foreign minister; and Peer Steinbrück, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the election for selecting the country’s Chancellor, were wiretapped by the US intelligence agency in cooperation with Denmark’s intelligence organization for several years.
Reuters news agency further reported that the Danish government was aware of the spying on leaders of several European countries at least since 2015.
Denmark’s military and foreign intelligence organization “FE” provided the US National Security Agency with the capability to spy on European leaders and politicians.
It is reported that at the Sandagergården espionage and wiretapping station, located near Copenhagen, personnel from the US intelligence organization spied on European leaders through the exploitation of an internet exchange point.
Denmark’s intelligence organization, by providing this internet exchange point and the cables for transmitting internet and communication services installed under the sea, facilitated the spying capability for the US National Security Agency.
The Danish government, the country’s intelligence organization, and the US National Security Agency have not yet issued a statement in response to the publication of this report.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the current president of Germany and the country’s former foreign minister, told reporters in response that he had no prior knowledge of this matter and learned of the American spying through the media.
Source: DW
