Der Spiegel reports: Arab news broadcaster Al Jazeera was spied on by the National Security Agency, according to documents seen by SPIEGEL. The US intelligence agency hacked into protected communication, a feat that was considered a particular success.
It makes sense that America’s National Security Agency (NSA) would be interested in the Arab news broadcaster Al Jazeera. The Qatar-based channel has been broadcasting audio and video messages from al-Qaida leaders for more than a decade.
The United States intelligence agency was so interested, in fact, that it hacked into Al Jazeera’s internal communications system, according to documents from former NSA contractor and whistleblower Edward Snowden that have been seen by SPIEGEL.
One such document, dated March 23, 2006, reveals that the NSA’s Network Analysis Center managed to access and read communication by “interesting targets” that was specially protected by the news organization. The information also shows that the NSA officials were not satisfied with Al Jazeera’s language analysis.
In addition to cracking the airline reservation services for Russian airline Aeroflot, accessing “Al Jazeera broadcasting internal communication” was listed as a “notable success,” the document shows. The NSA said these selected targets had “high potential as sources of intelligence.”
The encrypted information was forwarded to the responsible NSA departments for further analysis, according to the document, which did not reveal to what extent the intelligence agency spied on journalists or managers of the media company, or whether the surveillance is ongoing. [Continue reading…]
Considering NSA spied on the French too ( probably the only enthusiastic partner for “action” ), nothing surprises me any more. As Mr Snowden claimed, he could tap even the President’s line if he had his computer, only surprise would be if NSA tapped Ariel Sharon’s communications!
http://www.dw.de/french-foreign-ministry-tapped-by-nsa-says-german-magazine/a-17059109
Curious, has anyone considered that the General in charge of the NSA is maybe more powerful that any man on earth? Being able to hack every thing that goes out on the internet, audio air waves, targeting right down to the individual, regardless of who, where, leads to being able to blackmail said individual, for better or worse. That’s too much power to be entrusted into one persons hands. Just because he wears a Military uniform, doesn’t guarantee he’s sane.