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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Europe alarmed by US surveillance | Europe alarmed by US surveillance |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The EU is demanding assurances that Europeans' rights are not being infringed by massive, newly revealed US surveillance programmes. | |
| Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding plans to raise the concerns with US Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday. | Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding plans to raise the concerns with US Attorney General Eric Holder on Friday. |
| Last week a series of leaks by a former CIA worker led to claims the US had a vast surveillance network with much less oversight than previously thought. | Last week a series of leaks by a former CIA worker led to claims the US had a vast surveillance network with much less oversight than previously thought. |
| The US insists its snooping is legal under domestic law. | The US insists its snooping is legal under domestic law. |
| The Obama administration is investigating whether the disclosures by former CIA worker Edward Snowden were a criminal offence. | The Obama administration is investigating whether the disclosures by former CIA worker Edward Snowden were a criminal offence. |
| More revelations promised | More revelations promised |
| Mr Snowden's employer, defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, said on Tuesday it had fired the 29-year-old infrastructure analyst for violating its ethics code. | Mr Snowden's employer, defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, said on Tuesday it had fired the 29-year-old infrastructure analyst for violating its ethics code. |
| US officials say the snooping programme known as Prism, revealed in last week's leaks, is authorised under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa). | US officials say the snooping programme known as Prism, revealed in last week's leaks, is authorised under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa). |
| It gives the US National Security Agency (NSA) the power to obtain emails and phone records relating to non-US nationals. | It gives the US National Security Agency (NSA) the power to obtain emails and phone records relating to non-US nationals. |
| But details about the individuals targeted under the act remain secret, and there are concerns the NSA is overstepping its powers. | But details about the individuals targeted under the act remain secret, and there are concerns the NSA is overstepping its powers. |
| Documents leaked to the Guardian and Washington Post newspapers claimed the US authorities had direct access to the servers of nine major US technology firms, including Apple, Facebook and Google. | Documents leaked to the Guardian and Washington Post newspapers claimed the US authorities had direct access to the servers of nine major US technology firms, including Apple, Facebook and Google. |
| Mr Snowden told the Guardian that individual operatives had the power to tap into anyone's emails at any time. | Mr Snowden told the Guardian that individual operatives had the power to tap into anyone's emails at any time. |
| Although the firms have denied granting such access, saying they agreed only to legal requests, US officials have admitted Prism exists. | Although the firms have denied granting such access, saying they agreed only to legal requests, US officials have admitted Prism exists. |
| And on Tuesday, Republican Senator Lindsay Graham said US surveillance of phone records allowed the government to monitor phone records for a pattern of calls, even if those numbers had no known connection to terrorism. | |
| Russia 'consider' asylum | Russia 'consider' asylum |
| One of the Guardian journalists who wrote the Prism stories, Glenn Greenwald, has promised "more significant revelations" to come. | One of the Guardian journalists who wrote the Prism stories, Glenn Greenwald, has promised "more significant revelations" to come. |
| In the US, the controversy has focused on the possibility that conversations of US citizens may inadvertently be captured. | In the US, the controversy has focused on the possibility that conversations of US citizens may inadvertently be captured. |
| But overseas, governments and activists point out that US law provides foreigners with no protection. | But overseas, governments and activists point out that US law provides foreigners with no protection. |
| Justice Commissioner Reding tweeted: "This case shows why a clear legal framework for the protection of personal data is not a luxury but a necessity." | Justice Commissioner Reding tweeted: "This case shows why a clear legal framework for the protection of personal data is not a luxury but a necessity." |
| Mr Snowden is believed to be in hiding a day after he reportedly checked out of a Hong Kong hotel. | Mr Snowden is believed to be in hiding a day after he reportedly checked out of a Hong Kong hotel. |
| In the US, Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, said the person responsible for the leak should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. | In the US, Mitch McConnell, the top Republican in the Senate, said the person responsible for the leak should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. |
| He said privacy concerns were understandable, given the scope of the programmes, but added it was hard to comprehend why Mr Snowden would give information to US enemies. | He said privacy concerns were understandable, given the scope of the programmes, but added it was hard to comprehend why Mr Snowden would give information to US enemies. |
| Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate intelligence committee, said the American authorities were "aggressively" pursuing him. | Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate intelligence committee, said the American authorities were "aggressively" pursuing him. |
| The California Democrat also accused Mr Snowden of "an act of treason". | The California Democrat also accused Mr Snowden of "an act of treason". |
| The top Republican in the US House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner, labelled Mr Snowden a "traitor". | The top Republican in the US House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner, labelled Mr Snowden a "traitor". |
| In other developments on Tuesday: | In other developments on Tuesday: |