Attacks from America: NSA Spied on European Union Offices

www.spiegel.de ^ | June 29, 2013 – 11:21 PM | By Laura Poitras, Marcel Rosenbach, Fidelius Schmid and Holger Stark

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

America's NSA intelligence service allegedly targeted the European Union with its spying activities. According to SPIEGEL information, the US placed bugs in the EU representation in Washington and infiltrated its computer network. Cyber attacks were also perpetrated against Brussels in New York and Washington.

Information obtained by SPIEGEL shows that America's National Security Agency (NSA) not only conducted online surveillance of European citizens, but also appears to have specifically targeted buildings housing European Union institutions. The information appears in secret documents obtained by whistleblower Edward Snowden that SPIEGEL has in part seen. A "top secret" 2010 document describes how the secret service attacked the EU's diplomatic representation in Washington.

The document suggests that in addition to installing bugs in the building in downtown Washington, DC, the European Union representation's computer network was also infiltrated. In this way, the Americans were able to access discussions in EU rooms as well as emails and internal documents on computers.

The attacks on EU institutions show yet another level in the broad scope of the NSA's spying activities. For weeks now, new details about Prism and other surveillance programs have been emerging from what had been compiled by whistleblower Snowden. It has also been revealed that the British intelligence service GCHQ operates a similar program under the name Tempora with which global telephone and Internet connections are monitored.

The documents SPIEGEL has seen indicate that the EU representation to the United Nations was attacked in a manner similar to the way surveillance was conducted against its offices in Washington. An NSA document dated September 2010 explicitly names the Europeans as a "location target".

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Full story to appear on Monday.

[jagusafr]

This doesn’t disturb me at all, frankly. That’s what nations do to protect themselves. That’s what we pay the CIA, NSA, NGA, etc. to do.

[urbanpovertylawcenter]

I pray to all that is Holy, they have not turned the mighty NSA against the United Nations!

What are the odds?

[newnhdad]

in before “Bush’s fault”...

[urbanpovertylawcenter]

I get that but what do we pay the NBA, MLB, NFL, AFL, NHL, and the PGA for?

Circus time?

[Sirius Lee]

This doesn’t disturb me at all, frankly. That’s what nations do to protect themselves. That’s what we pay the CIA, NSA, NGA, etc. to do.

Agreed. It's only the spying on Americans that bothers me. And if you know who the bad guys are (muslims) then spy on them via proper probable cause warrants. Government can't be trusted to not abuse the data collection as the ongoing IRS abuse against Conservatives proves.

[P-Marlowe]

Has anyone noticed that the United States has suddenly become the old USSR?

[txhurl]

bttt

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Obama wouldn't object to that.

That is his direction alright....we aren't there yet however.

[Irenic]

Yeppers.

[Logical me]

Has anyone noticed that the United States has suddenly become the old USSR?

What did we expect when stupid Americans elected the hardest core communists BLACK Muslim King Obama, the new America's dictator.

[DoughtyOne]

The only thing that disturbs me about this news, is that Snowden evidently provided it. By doing so, I believe he crossed the line into treasonous behavior.

What governments are expected to do to facilitate national security via reasoned intelligence, they should be allowed to do without their methods or precise acts being outed.

Spying on (all) your citizens does not protect them. It exposes them to threat.

Spying on foreign nations does protect our citizens. It protects them from threats.

Even then, I would suggest that less is more. People and nations can understand spying when there is a need. They get rather testy when blanket spying takes place.

[Paladin2]

Welcome to the New World Order.

[Hardraade]

Out of popcorn. Desperately going thru the potato chips.

Now, if only some of those people stealing paintings off the walls at the UN could find a mike or two, we could see some real fun...

[NormsRevenge]

What line will this gubamint not cross?

Ask Ambassador Kennedy , for starters.

[sunrise_sunset]

These are NATO allies. You don’t treat long-time military allies this way, period.

[sunrise_sunset]

You are lumping Germany together with China. That’s frankly nuts. The U.S. is destroying international law and isolating itself. Keep in mind many of these countries are fighting along side the U.S. right now.

[Standing Wolf]

Has anyone noticed that the United States has suddenly become the old USSR?

The transition hasn't been at all sudden, but yes, the U.S. does seem to have filled the vacuum left by the failed U.S.S.R. Not every nation is capable of being big, brutal, stupid, and proud of it.

[Russ]

I was in the Security Service in the Air Force 50 years ago and we, including the NSA, were spying on friend and foe alike. Phone calls and other communications were being intercepted and relayed to the NSA. This was necessary then and is today. You don’t know who your friends will be down the road so you need to be vigilant.

[Wuli]

the only unfortunate thing is that Europeans have obviously been too loyal to be whistleblowers and leakers on the same kind of spying they all do on their friends