“We are disappointed to hear these claims. The BBC’s mission is to bring accurate news and information to people around the world, and our journalists should be able to operate freely and safely, with full protection for their sources. We call upon all governments to respect the operation of a free press.” BBC spokesperson

Spiegel reports that at least 50 numbers used by international journalists were monitored by the BND. Follow us on Twitter: @Intel_Today

The SPIEGEL revealed today (February 24 2017) that the BND has monitored at least 50 telephone and fax numbers or e-mail addresses of journalists or editors around the world with their own so-called selectors.

The BND –Bundesnachrichtendienst — is the foreign intelligence agency of Germany, directly subordinated to the Chancellor’s Office. The BND acts as an early warning system to alert the German government to threats to German interests from abroad. It depends heavily on wiretapping and electronic surveillance of international communications.

The surveillance program of journalists by the BND began in 1999. The BND monitored journalists from the BBC, Reuters news agency and the New York Times as well as many others around the world.



The spy ‘targets’ include more than a dozen British BBC journalists in Afghanistan and at the headquarters in London, as well as editors of the international program BBC World Service.

A correspondent of the “New York Times” in Afghanistan was also on the list. Mobile and satellite telephones of the news agency Reuters in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria were monitored.

The BND refused to comment on the allegations. SPIEGEL plans to release more details about the alleged spying on Saturday. This post will be update soon. Stay tuned.

REFERENCES

BND bespitzelte offenbar ausländische Journalisten — SPIEGEL ONLINE

BBC dismayed at German ‘BND spying on journalists’ — BBC