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| Spain warns US of breakdown in trust after new NSA revelations | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Spanish government has warned the US that revelations of widespread spying by the National Security Agency could, if confirmed, "lead to a breakdown in the traditional trust" between the two countries. | The Spanish government has warned the US that revelations of widespread spying by the National Security Agency could, if confirmed, "lead to a breakdown in the traditional trust" between the two countries. |
| The diplomatic row followed a report in Spain's El Mundo newspaper on Monday , based on a leaked NSA document, claiming that the US had intercepted 60.5m phone calls in Spain between 10 December 2012 and 8 January this year. | The diplomatic row followed a report in Spain's El Mundo newspaper on Monday , based on a leaked NSA document, claiming that the US had intercepted 60.5m phone calls in Spain between 10 December 2012 and 8 January this year. |
| In the latest revelations from the documents leaked by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden, El Mundo published an NSA graphic, entitled "Spain – last 30 days", showing the daily flow of phone calls within Spain. On one day alone – 11 December 2012 – the NSA reportedly intercepted more than 3.5m phone calls. It appears that although the content of the calls was not monitored the serial and phone numbers of the handsets used, the locations, sim cards and the duration of the calls were. Emails and other social media were also monitored. | In the latest revelations from the documents leaked by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden, El Mundo published an NSA graphic, entitled "Spain – last 30 days", showing the daily flow of phone calls within Spain. On one day alone – 11 December 2012 – the NSA reportedly intercepted more than 3.5m phone calls. It appears that although the content of the calls was not monitored the serial and phone numbers of the handsets used, the locations, sim cards and the duration of the calls were. Emails and other social media were also monitored. |
| The White House has so far declined to comment on the El Mundo report. Spain, however, expressed its concern. José Manuel García Margallo, Spain's foreign minister, warned of a breakdown in trust between Madrid and Washington at a press conference in Warsaw, where he was on an official visit. | |
| Earlier on Monday the US ambassador to Spain, James Costos, had been summoned to meet Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, Spain's secretary of state for Europe, as the White House struggled to contain a growing diplomatic crisis following accusations that the NSA monitored the phone calls of scores of allies, including the personal mobile phone of German chancellor Angela Merkel and millions of French citizens. | |
| Margallo took a harder line than the statement put out by his own ministry earlier in the day: "Spain has relayed to the United States the importance of preserving a climate of trust … and its interest in understanding the full reach of practices that, if true, would be considered inappropriate and unacceptable between allies." | Margallo took a harder line than the statement put out by his own ministry earlier in the day: "Spain has relayed to the United States the importance of preserving a climate of trust … and its interest in understanding the full reach of practices that, if true, would be considered inappropriate and unacceptable between allies." |
| Spain has called on the US to explain the extent of spying on its citizens. | Spain has called on the US to explain the extent of spying on its citizens. |
| This latest revelation in the ongoing diplomatic row surrounding the US's international surveillance programme came as a parliamentary delegation from the EU prepared to visit Washington to get an explanation for what some members call a gross breach of trust. The EU's civil liberties committee will meet members of Congress to relay their concerns over EU citizens' right to privacy. | This latest revelation in the ongoing diplomatic row surrounding the US's international surveillance programme came as a parliamentary delegation from the EU prepared to visit Washington to get an explanation for what some members call a gross breach of trust. The EU's civil liberties committee will meet members of Congress to relay their concerns over EU citizens' right to privacy. |
| Claude Moraes, the British Labour MP who is leading the delegation, said on Monday that the Snowden documents suggested that "the type of surveillance that is taking place by intelligence services is completely disproportionate in the important fight against terrorism and for security". The allegations resulting from Snowden's leaks "need to be investigated", he added. | Claude Moraes, the British Labour MP who is leading the delegation, said on Monday that the Snowden documents suggested that "the type of surveillance that is taking place by intelligence services is completely disproportionate in the important fight against terrorism and for security". The allegations resulting from Snowden's leaks "need to be investigated", he added. |
| He said the MEPs hoped to meet with NSA director General Keith Alexander during their visit and said that "emphasis has to be put on ensuring that there is a strong legal framework in place in the EU which not only protects EU citizens' fundamental right to privacy but also ensures that member states and third countries, including the US, respect this right too". | He said the MEPs hoped to meet with NSA director General Keith Alexander during their visit and said that "emphasis has to be put on ensuring that there is a strong legal framework in place in the EU which not only protects EU citizens' fundamental right to privacy but also ensures that member states and third countries, including the US, respect this right too". |
| In September the European parliament's civil liberties committee launched a public inquiry into the surveillance of EU citizens revealed by Snowden, led by Moraes. But Moraes complained that no EU member states had agreed to have their intelligence agencies appear at the public hearings. "It is absolutely necessary that EU governments respond to these requests so that we can establish facts and ensure that European citizens are fully informed," he said. | In September the European parliament's civil liberties committee launched a public inquiry into the surveillance of EU citizens revealed by Snowden, led by Moraes. But Moraes complained that no EU member states had agreed to have their intelligence agencies appear at the public hearings. "It is absolutely necessary that EU governments respond to these requests so that we can establish facts and ensure that European citizens are fully informed," he said. |
| Last week Spain rejected Germany's proposition that the EU's 28 member states should sign a "no-spy deal" along the lines of a deal wanted by Berlin and Paris. | |
| "We'll see once we have more information if we decide to join with what France and Germany have done," the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, said at a press conference in Brussels on Friday. "But these aren't decisions which correspond to the European Union. They are questions related to national security and are the exclusive responsibility of member states. France and Germany have decided to do one thing and the rest of us may decide to do the same, or something else." | "We'll see once we have more information if we decide to join with what France and Germany have done," the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, said at a press conference in Brussels on Friday. "But these aren't decisions which correspond to the European Union. They are questions related to national security and are the exclusive responsibility of member states. France and Germany have decided to do one thing and the rest of us may decide to do the same, or something else." |
| The White House and NSA are coming under intense pressure to reveal the extent to which US President Barack Obama and senior administration officials were aware of the extent of US surveillance operations targeting the leaders of allied countries. | The White House and NSA are coming under intense pressure to reveal the extent to which US President Barack Obama and senior administration officials were aware of the extent of US surveillance operations targeting the leaders of allied countries. |
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