The US National Security Agency has spied on French
diplomats in Washington and at the UN, according to the latest claims in Le
Monde newspaper.
NSA internal memos obtained by Le Monde detailed the use of
a sophisticated surveillance programme, known as Genie.
US spies allegedly hacked foreign networks, introducing the
spyware into the software, routers and firewalls of millions of machines.
It comes a day after claims the NSA tapped millions of
phones in France.
The details in the latest Le Monde article are based on
leaks from ex-intelligence analyst Edward Snowden, through Glen Greenwald, the
outgoing Guardian journalist, who is feeding the material from Brazil,.
It comes on the day the US Secretary of State, John Kerry,
is in London meeting foreign counterparts to discuss Syria.
'Spy implants'
The Le Monde report sets out details of Genie, an NSA surveillance
programme in which spyware implants were introduced remotely to overseas
computers, including foreign embassies.
Continue reading the main story
US allies on spying claims
US agencies accused of spying on leaders of Brazil and
Mexico; Brazil's Dilma Rousseff cancels state visit, Mexico's Enrique Pena
Nieto says US has promised an inquiry
US allegedly runs bugging operations on EU mission in
Washington and other European embassies; France objects, Germany cancels
surveillance agreement with US and UK
Le Monde claims NSA snooped on millions of phone calls in
France; US ambassador in Paris summoned to explain
Who is Edward Snowden?
Leaks timeline
It claims bugs were introduced to the French Embassy in
Washington (under a code name "Wabash") and to the computers of the
French delegation at the UN, codenamed "Blackfoot".
The article suggests that in 2011, the US allocated $652m
(£402m) in funding for the programme, which was spent on "spy
implants". Tens of millions of computers were reported to have been hacked
that year.
A document dated August 2010 suggests intelligence stolen
from foreign embassy computers ensured the US knew ahead of time the positions
of other Security Council members, before a UN vote for a resolution imposing
new sanctions on Iran.
The US was worried the French were drifting to the Brazilian
side - who were opposed to implementing sanctions - when in truth they were
always aligned to the US position, says our correspondent.
The intelligence agency quotes Susan Rice, then-US
ambassador to the UN, who praises the work done by the NSA: "It helped me
know... the truth, and reveal other [countries'] positions on sanctions,
allowing us to keep one step ahead in the negotiations."
On Monday, Le Monde alleged that the NSA spied on 70.3
million phone calls in France between 10 December 2012 and 8 January 2013.
At a breakfast meeting with the US secretary of state on
Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius demanded a full explanation.
Continue reading the main story
'Genie' Surveillance Programme
The document in Le Monde outlines techniques used to spy on
the communications of the French diplomats
"Highlands" was the name for the hacking of
computers through cookies that were implanted remotely
"Vagrant" was a term used for capturing
information from screens
"PBX" was a bug which allegedly infiltrated
telephone conversations, eavesdropping on conversations in much the same way as
one would listen into a conference call
Referring to a telephone call between the French and US
presidents, Mr Fabius told reporters: "I said again to John Kerry what
Francois Hollande told Barack Obama, that this kind of spying conducted on a
large scale by the Americans on its allies is something that is
unacceptable."
Asked if France was considering reprisals against the US,
government spokeswoman Najat Vallaud-Belkacem replied: "It is up to
Foreign Minister Fabius to decide what line we take but I don't think there is
any need for an escalation.
"We have to have a respectful relationship between
partners, between allies. Our confidence in that has been hit but it is after
all a very close, individual relationship that we have."
Both French officials made their comments before the latest
revelations appeared in Le Monde.
Mr Snowden, a former NSA worker, went public with
revelations about US spying operations in June.
The information he leaked led to claims of systematic spying
by the NSA and CIA on a global scale.
Targets included rivals like China and Russia, as well as
allies like the EU and Brazil.
The NSA was also forced to admit it had captured email and
phone data from millions of Americans.
Mr Snowden is currently in Russia, where he was granted a
year-long visa after making an asylum application.
The US wants him extradited to face trial on criminal
charges.
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