Deutsche Welle, 28 October 2013
The
journalist who worked with US whistleblower Edward Snowden has urged Germany to
offer protection to the former intelligence operative. Meanwhile, Berlin is to
debate claims the US spied on Chancellor Angela Merkel.
In an
interview with German television on Monday, Brazil-based Glen Greenwald said
Germany should offer asylum to former US intelligence operative Edward Snowden,
who is currently being granted temporary asylum in Russia.
Through the
British newspaper The Guardian, US journalist Greenwald uncovered details of
the National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance program early this year based
on leaks from Snowden, a former NSA contractor.
In an
interview with German public broadcaster ARD, Greenwald said the extent of
spying activity of the NSA - including the eavesdropping on Chancellor Angela
Merkel's phone - would not be known without information made available by
Snowden.
"Germany
is precisely one of the countries that has most benefited from these
revelations, from the start," said Greenwald.
"Rather
than thanking him or being grateful or just doing their duty under the law to
protect people who are being politically persecuted, the German government has
turned its back on him and allowed its ally the United States to threaten his
political rights and persecute him."
"I
think it really is up to the German people to ask why that is," said
Greenwald, who no longer works for The Guardian.
Special
parliamentary session
Germany's
lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, is set to debate the spying affair on
November 18 - signifying something of a change of heart on the part of Merkel's
government. Such a debate had been requested by opposition parties weeks ahead
of the German general election on September 22, but this was refused.
The
formation of a special committee to discuss the NSA affair is also seen as
likely, something that would require the approval of a third of Bundestag
lawmakers. While the opposition Green and Left parties have only about a fifth
of seats in the assembly, the CDU/CSU grouping and its expected coalition
partner the SPD have said they would support an "appropriate" motion
by the opposition.
Greenwald
said that Snowden would be a "logical choice" to answer questions as
a witness at the committee, but that he would need a guarantee that his basic
rights would be respected. Several German deputies have also called for Snowden
to be summoned.
However,
the office of Chancellor Merkel said there were no plans to ask Snowden to
attend.
The German
government on Monday said it has learnt nothing new of about the spying affair
since it came to light on Monday. A representative of the chancellor also refused
to answer a question about whether Obama had apologized to Merkel.
"I
never report on the confidential conversations of the chancellor," said
the spokesman.
White House
mulls changes
Meanwhile,
the White House has said it believed some constraints were needed in light of
recent revelations. As well as the spying on the German chancellor, the NSA is
accused of tapping millions of phone calls of Spanish citizens the space of
just a month. It is also accused of carrying out vast online trawling operations
in that country.
"We
recognize there needs to be additional constraints on how we gather and use
intelligence," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
"We
also need to ensure that our intelligence resources are most effectively
supporting our foreign policy and national security objectives, that we are
more effectively weighing the risks and rewards of our activities," Carney
said.
The head of
the US Senate Intelligence Committee took a tougher line, calling for a
"total review of all intelligence programs."
Senator
Dianne Feinstein said her committee had been informed of the NSA's collection
of phone records under a secret order. But she said the committee had been kept
in the dark as to the extend of the surveillance.
"Unlike
NSA's collection of phone records under a court order, it is clear to me that
certain surveillance activities have been in effect for more than a decade and
that the Senate Intelligence Committee was not satisfactorily informed,"
she said.
"With
respect to NSA collection of intelligence on leaders of US allies - including
France, Spain, Mexico and Germany - let me state unequivocally: I am totally
opposed."
rc/ph (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters, ARD)
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