Germany presses US over EU 'bugging' claims

Germany has demanded an immediate explanation from the U.S. over reports that Washington has been eavesdropping onEU offices.

A German magazine, Der Spiegel,reported on Sunday that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has bugged European Union offices both on the US soil in Washington, New York and in the heart of Europe, Brussels.

Der Spiegel said the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) targeted EU offices by planting microphones in the block’s diplomatic mission inWashington and managed to penetrate into its computer network. It also said that the pervasive spying program included not only cyberattacks on the EU offices in New York and Washington but went as far as online surveillance of European citizens.

The German weekly said its report was based on a “top secret” 2010 NSA document that it had received from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The report is a latest in a series of exposures of alleged U.S. spy programs.

Responding to the report, Germany's justice minister, Sabine LeutheUSser-Schnarrenberger said the U.S. eavesdropping was reminiscent of “the methods used by enemies during the Cold War”. She added that it’s “beyond comprehension that our friends in the United States see Europeans as enemies”.

Demanding an “immediate and comprehensive” response from the U.S. government, she said It’s hardly explicable that the program was used for “fighting terrorism.”

In a separate development, the European Union said on Sunday it has questioned American officials about the spying and awaits Washington's response.

The European Commission issued a statement saying that "We have immediately been in contact with theUSauthorities in Washington DC and in Brussels and have confronted them with the press reports.”