In debate to reform US surveillance, intelligence chief says allies spy on US leaders, too

WASHINGTON –  The U.S. intelligence chief says that nations do indeed spy on each other's leaders and calls it a longtime practice in the intelligence world.

National Intelligence Director James Clapper spoke Tuesday to congressional lawmakers weighing how to reform surveillance programs that have fueled bitter criticism at home and abroad. Clapper played down European allies' complaints about the U.S. spying on their leaders.

U.S. officials are nearly unanimous in saying they're ready to see if the scope of U.S. spying remains necessary a dozen years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The head of the National Security Agency, Gen. Keith Alexander, told the House Intelligence Committee that a surveillance sweep on phone records overseas that has prompted an anti-American backlash was carried out by European governments, not the U.S.

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Govt will probe US spying claims’

Anisah Shukry | October 30, 2013

If the Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry’s joint investigations unearth evidence of spying, action will be taken by Wisma Putra to resolve the matter, says Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry will investigate allegations that the United States is tapping telephones and monitoring communication networks in Malaysia.

“We will study whether or not there is any spying done here. We are aware this is a sensitive issue and will work together with Wisma Putra to determine if the spying is taking place,” the home minister said when met by reporters at the Parliament lobby here today.

“If there are such activities, we shall leave it to Wisma Putra to take action,” he added.

Top secret documents leaked by intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden had revealed that the US operated clandestine communications intelligence facilities at its Kuala Lumpur embassy.

A map dated Aug 13, 2010 published by German magazine Der Spiegel yesterday showed that the US ran 90 monitoring facilities worldwide, including China, Jakarta, Bangkok, Phnom Peng and Yangon.

Seventy four of the facilities are manned, 14 are remotely operated and two are technical support centres, the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported yesterday.

But no surveillance facilities are located in the US embassies of the country’s closes allies – Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Japan and Singapore.
SMH said the map confirms the global reach of US signals intelligence operations with special collection facilities located in most major capitals on every continent.

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim yesterday had called for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to lodge a protest against the United States over the matter.

“I think the Malaysian intelligence, in particular the prime minister, should not be seen to be so submissive and not prepared to say anything.

“They must lodge a protest, there is no reason for any country, foreign country, whether it’s United States or any other country to be involved in any internal espionage in any country,” he was quoted as saying by news portal The Malay Mail Online.