WWIII, will it start with German politics?
‘It’s a serious breach of trust’: Angela Merkel condemns US spying allegations that German ‘double agent’ was working for America
- Chancellor Merkel said the latest allegations of spying, if true, are a ‘clear contradiction as to what I consider to be trusting cooperation’ between partners
- A 31-year-old man who worked at Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency reportedly admitted passing documents to a US contact
- The White House and State Department have thus far declined to comment on the case
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said today that allegations a German man worked as a double agent for US intelligence were serious and if true contradicted the true nature of cooperation between partners.
‘If the reports are correct it would be a serious case,’ Merkel said during a news conference in Beijing with Chinese Premier Li Kegiang. ‘It would be for me a clear contradiction as to what I consider to be trusting cooperation between agencies and partners.’
The case risks further straining ties between the long-time allies, which have been severely tested by revelations last year of large-scale snooping on Germany by the National Security Agency, a US intelligence service.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting in Beijing today. During a news conference in China, Merkel called allegations that a man who worked for Germany’s intelligence services secretly passed information to the US a ‘serious’ breach of trust
The White House and State Department have declined to comment on the arrest of the 31-year-old employee of Germany’s BND foreign intelligence agency.
The man arrested reportedly admits passing documents to a US contact.