WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
Denmark’s secret service helped the US National Security Service (NSA) spy on European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel from 2012 to 2014.
WHO REVEALED IT?
It was revealed by Danish public service broadcaster DR in a report on Sunday. According to DR, the Defence Intelligence Service (FE) collaborated with US NSA to gather information on officials from Germany, France, Sweden and Norway. The findings are the result of a 2015 internal investigation in the Danish Defence Intelligence Service into NSA’s role in the partnership with Denmark’s foreign intelligence unit.
HOW US SPIED?
According to the investigation, the US National Security Agency (NSA) used a collaboration with FE to eavesdrop on Danish information cables, To spy on senior officials in Sweden, Norway, France and Germany from 2012 to 2014.In addition to Merkel, the NSA also spied on then-German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and former German opposition leader Peer Steinbruck, DR said.
Denmark, a close US ally, hosts several key landing stations for subsea internet cables to and from Sweden, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.The investigation found the NSA had access to extensive data streams that run through internet cables to and from Denmark and Intercepted everything from text messages and telephone calls to internet traffic including searches, chats and messaging services.
OPERATION DUNHAMMER, 2015
The FE launched the internal investigation – code-named “Operation Dunhammer” – following concerns about Edward Snowden’s leaks in 2013 revealing how the NSA works. But upon receiving the Dunhammer findings, FE’s top management at the time did not scrap the collaboration with the NSA, according to DR.Danish Minister of Defence Trine Bramsen, who took over the defence portfolio in June 2019, was informed of the spying in August last year.That same month, she suspended the head of the Defence Intelligence Service and three other officials.DR said Bramsen declined to comment on its report but told the broadcaster that the “systematic eavesdropping of close allies is unacceptable”.
JOE BIDEN’S ROLE
Snowden, the former NSA contractor-turned whistleblower, accused US President Joe Biden of being “deeply involved” in the case.The US leader was vice-president when Snowden blew the lid on the NSA’s mass spying programme.
France said earlier on Monday the allegations were "extremely serious" if proven."This is not acceptable between allies, even less so between European allies and partners," Macron said at aFranco-German Council of Ministers.Merkel said she agreed with her French counterpart's remarks.
Danish lawmaker Karsten Hoenge of the left-leaning Socialist People’s Party, said “The government must explain how come Denmark has been acting as a willing tool for a US intelligence service, and what it will mean for cooperation with Denmark’s neighbouring countries,” he said.
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