US spied on Merkel and other European officials with Denmark's help: Report

Denmark’s secret service helped the US National Security Service (NSA) spy on European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel from 2012 to 2014. According to Danish public service broadcaster 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. 

According to the investigation, NSA used Danish information cables to spy on senior officials in Sweden, Norway, France and Germany, including former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and former German opposition leader Peer Steinbruck. The NSA is said to have accessed text messages and the phone conversation of a number of prominent individuals by tapping into Danish internet cables in co-operation with the FE. As per the report, the alleged set-up was codenamed “Operation Dunhammer” and it allowed the NSA to obtain data using the telephone numbers of politicians as search parameters. 

‘Extremely serious’ and ‘unacceptable’ 

Following the report, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded explanations from the United States and Denmark. While Macron said that spying is "not acceptable" between allies, Merkel, on the other hand, said that she agreed with her French counterpart's remarks. Steinmeier, who is now the German President, and a spokesperson for Merkel said that they were not aware of Danish involvement until the DR report, which was shared with other European media over the weekend.

"This is not acceptable between allies, even less so between European allies and partners," Macron said at a Franco-German Council of Ministers.

Steinbruck, on the other hand, told German media that politically he views the report as a “scandal”. Denmark's Defence Minister Trine Bramsen, who had reportedly been earlier informed of the espionage, told DR that "systematic wiretapping of close allies is unacceptable”. Other European politicians have also condemned the reports. Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg reportedly said that it is “unacceptable” if countries that have close allied cooperation feel the need to spy on one another. France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune said that allegations were “extremely serious”. 

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that similar allegations had emerged back in 2013. Back then, secrets leaked by US whistleblower Edward Snowden alleged tapping of the German chancellor's phone by the NSA. After Snowden leaked details of extensive internet and phone surveillance by US intelligence, the officials charged him with theft of government property, unauthorised communication of national defence information and wilful communication of classified communications intelligence. He then found refuge in Russia.

(With inputs from AP)