The 'Silent Scandal' Over NSA Manipulation of German Law (Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany)

"Last year, for example, when it was revealed that the American NSA had even listened in on the German chancellor's cell phone, Angela Merkel said that 'eavesdropping among friends just isn't done.' ... Now, former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has, in a statement to the European Parliament's NSA investigation committee, accused several E.U. countries of willing complicity in the affair. Yet things have gone curiously quiet."

By Peter Riesbeck

Translated By John Goodall

March 19, 2014

Germany - Frankfurter Rundschau - Original Article (Germany)

BRUSSELS: Indignation can be an odd thing. We love being indignant at others. Last year, for example, when it was revealed that the American NSA had even listened in on the German chancellor's cell phone, Angela Merkel said that "eavesdropping among friends just isn't done."

Now, former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden has, in a statement to the European Parliament's NSA investigation committee, accused several E.U. countries of willing complicity in the affair. Yet things have gone curiously quiet.

"This raises suspicions that something is being concealed. The Federal government is evading its responsibilities," Green MEP Jan Albrecht told the Frankfurter Rundschau.

"One of the foremost activities of the NSA's FAD, or Foreign Affairs Division, is to pressure or incentivize E.U. member states to change their laws to enable mass surveillance. ... These FAD 'legal guidance' operations occur in both Sweden and the Netherlands, and also faraway New Zealand," said Snowden, also mentioning Germany's G-10 law on surveillance. This law regulates the privacy of letters and telecommunications, and was amended in 2005 and 2009. Last year, Green Bundestag Member Konstantin von Notz asked about the relationship between changes to the law and NSA's requests. The government brushed this off in its response. Snowden stated in his statement that "Germany was pressured into changing its G-10 law to reassure the NSA."

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Yet few in Germany seem worried by this. "Some questions remain unanswered, such as the role played by the BND [German intelligence service] in the NSA's actions." said Jan Albrecht.

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The European Parliament will release its final report on the NSA scandal this week. British, French, German, Dutch and Swedish services, which tapped information alongside the NSA, are mentioned by name. On March 10, Belgian newspaper De Standaard even reported on the willing cooperation of telecommunications firms with British secret service GCHQ, which eavesdropped at the nodes of transatlantic cables. According to the findings of a Belgian commission of inquiry, telecoms operators were even reimbursed for any additional costs. British Telecom, Verizon Business, Vodafone Cabel, Global Crossing, Level 3, Viatel and Interroute, were all mentioned.

In Europe, secret services actually fall under the juristiction of individual member states. "Only if it turns out that a member state's secret service has tapped the data of another E.U. country does it have an impact on European politics. We need common regulations for intelligence operations," said Green MEP Jan Albrecht, calling on national parliaments to establish their own investigative committees into the NSA. "National parliaments have a duty to investigate," said Albrecht.