Danish media is reporting that the country’s Secret Service helped the United States spy on European politicians including German Chancellor, Angela Merkel (pictured) from 2012 to 2014.
Public service broadcaster, DR says the Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with the US National Security Agency (NSA) to gather information.
Intelligence was allegedly collected on other officials from Germany, France, Sweden and Norway.
Similar allegations emerged in 2013; then, secrets leaked by US whistle-blower, Edward Snowden alleged tapping of the German Chancellor’s phone by the NSA.
When those allegations were made, the White House gave no outright denial but said Mrs Merkel’s phone was not being bugged at that time and would not be in future.
German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and a spokesperson for Mrs Merkel have said they were not aware of Danish involvement until the DR report, which was shared with other European media.
The NSA is said to have accessed text messages and the phone conversations of a number of prominent individuals by tapping into Danish internet cables in co-operation with the FE.
According to DR the alleged set-up, reportedly codenamed Operation Dunhammer, allowed the NSA to obtain data using the telephone numbers of politicians as search parameters.
Denmark’s Minister of Defence, Trine Bramsen told DR that “systematic wiretapping of close allies is unacceptable”.
Other European politicians have condemned the reports.
Norwegian Prime Minister, Erna Solberg told public broadcaster, NRK: “It’s unacceptable if countries which have close allied co-operation feel the need to spy on one another.”
France’s Minister for Europe, Clement Beaune said the allegations were “extremely serious”.
Neither the FE nor the NSA have yet commented on the latest reports.
Copenhagen, 2 June 2021
