Post date: Nov 06, 2013 4:30:3 PM
Spain's intelligence chief appears before congress to clarify allegations that a U.S. intelligence agency spied on Spanish citizens with the help of Madrid's intelligence service.
MADRID, SPAIN (NOVEMBER 6, 2013)(REUTERS) - The head of Spain's intelligence agency appeared on Wednesday (November 6) before a parliamentary committee to clarify allegations the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) spied on Spanish citizens with the help of Madrid's intelligence service.
Spain's public prosecutor launched a preliminary inquiry on October 29 into reports that U.S. intelligence had spied on million of its citizens.
Attorney General Eduardo Torres-Dulce authorised an information gathering process after El Mundo newspaper reported on October 28 that the United States had tracked more than 60 million Spanish phone calls, his office said in a statement.
Spain summoned the U.S. ambassador last week to discuss the allegations, which are similar to reports of U.S. spying in France and Germany that have caused a rare diplomatic upset between the Washington and its European allies.
El Mundo published a graphic it said was a National Security Agency (NSA) document showing the U.S. agency had spied on 60.5 million phone calls in Spain between Dec. 10, 2012 and Jan. 8 this year. It said the document was part of papers obtained from ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden.