Germany, France, Spain carry out mass surveillance: Snowden files

[Bosonic]

Source: AFP

London (AFP) - Spy agencies in Germany, France, Spain and Sweden are carrying out mass surveillance of online and phone traffic in collaboration with Britain, according to documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the Guardian newspaper reported Saturday.

Britain's GCHQ electronic eavesdropping centre -- which has a close relationship with the United States' National Security Agency (NSA) -- has taken a leading role in helping the other countries work around laws intended to limit spying, the British newspaper said.

The report is likely to prove embarrassing for governments including those of Germany and Spain, which had denounced earlier reports that the NSA was electronically spying on their citizens.

Saturday's report said the intelligence services of the European countries, in a "loose but growing" alliance, carried out surveillance through directly tapping fibre-optic cables and through secret relationships with communications companies.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/germany-france-spain-carry-mass-surveillance-snowden-files-131011110.html

[SoapBox]

1. Well...DUH!

But one would have thought that it was ONLY the USA, by the howling on DU and the limp media.

[bemildred]

2. No shit. "Gee, who could have predicted this?'

[fascisthunter]

3. hooo-boy! Well, well, well

Time for citizens to take power back from these governments. Governments have gone too far.

[brooklynite]

14. Hmm...remind me how these Governments came into being?

[fascisthunter]

16. your point?

governments do a lot to take power that were NOT given to them, sometimes. Did you need to really be reminded?

[brooklynite]

17. And electorates get to decide to hold them accountable or not...

[brush]

4. Embarrassing to say the least

Of course all the European countries had to publicly and loudly cry out at the NSA revelations but many of us have posted here before that the other countries that could afford it were doing mass surveillance as well, and not just within their own countries.

After all, Jonathan Pollard was caught spying for Israel on us back the 80s, so with the huge advances in technology since then, it was naive to think that this stuff wasn't going on.

The files stolen by Snowden (which he didn't actually read btw — he left that up to the newspapers he turned them over to — only confirm the surveillance).

[DonCoquixote]

5. Ok snowden

at least you have given the goose what you gave to the gander.

[davidthegnome]

6. Shock! Outrage! Blargle!

Seriously, I think almost everyone expected this. The question is, how can citizens of these Nations, as well as the USA, take measures to prevent being spied upon? We have a right to privacy in this Country, and all of this "surveillance", beyond not following due process, has gotten seriously out of hand. I think it's time for some new inventions that will break the NSA toys.

[Beacool]

7. To paraphrase captain Renault, I'm shocked, shocked to find that spying is going on in here!

All the countries complaining that they were spied upon are doing exactly the same thing. The only difference is that our technology is more advanced.

[MyNameGoesHere]

8. So it is confirmed!

America is no better than any other country and this bullshit about shiny cities and exceptionalism is just that. Bullshit.

[George II]

9. Are the primadonna Guardian and Snowden going to keep doling out these "leaks"....

....under the direction of Snowden so they can stay in the spotlight?

[pnwmom]

10. Drip, drip, drip. Why didn't they report this in the first place,

instead of trying to make it seem as if the US is unique in it?

[Playful Piranha]

11. July, 2013. Snowden says NSA 'in bed with' Germany and most others. Your claim is false

Your claim that Snowden had been trying to "make it seem as if the US is unique in it" is hereby quickly debunked with extreme ease.

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_23615014/americas-nsa-bed-germany-and-most-others-snowden

[pnwmom]

12. "In bed" could mean anything. n/t

[One_Life_To_Give]

21. More entertaining watching gov'ts put their head in the noose! nt

[blkmusclmachine]

13. One World Government

despite their lies to the contrary.

[Democat]

15. Not good news for those who think only America is evil

What will Germany have to say now?

[Bradical79]

18. Anyone who thinks that is not thinking clearly.

Nationalism leads to a lot of people looking foolish.

[Celefin]

19. The outrage by the heads of state came when they found out THEY were being spied on

The public was outraged long before that with their governments going humhum...
As usual it's okay if it happens to other people, even (or maybe especially so) if they are your own populace. Funny how those advocating loudest against 'a world government' are promoting the foundations of exactly that.

[Blue_Tires]

20. Naturally....

Luckily France/Germany/Spain got their scorched-Earth righteous indignation on the record and out of the way a couple of weeks back...Because who *didn't* know this was coming???