Snowden Interview: NSA 'In Bed Together with the Germans' (Der Speigel)

[KittyWampus]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/edward-snowden-accuses-germany-of-aiding-nsa-in-spying-efforts-a-909847.html

In an interview, Edward Snowden accuses the National Security Agency of partnering with Germany and other governments in its spying activities. New information also indicates close working ties between the German foreign intelligence agency and the American authority.

In an interview to be published in this week's issue of SPIEGEL, American intelligence agency whistleblower Edward Snowden criticizes the methods and power of the National Security Agency. Snowden said the NSA people are "in bed together with the Germans." He added that the NSA's "Foreign Affairs Directorate" is responsible for partnerships with other countries. The partnerships are organized in a way that authorities in other countries can "insulate their political leaders from the backlash" in the event it becomes public "how grievously they're violating global privacy." Telecommunications companies partner with the NSA and people are "normally selected for targeting" based on their "Facebook or webmail content."

snip
SPIEGEL reporting also indicates that cooperation between the NSA and Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND, is more intensive than previously known. NSA, for example, provides "analysis tools" for the BND's signals monitoring of foreign data streams that travel through Germany. Among the BND's focuses are the Middle East route through which data packets from crisis regions travel. In total, SPIEGEL reported that the BND pulls data from five different nodes that are then analyzed at the foreign intelligence service's headquarters in Pullach near Munich. BND head Gerhard Schindler confirmed the partnership during a meeting with members of the German parliament's control committee for intelligence issues.

snip

At the same time, a new US Army base being built in Germany that is also to be used by the NSA has been approved by German authorities. Currently, a new Consolidated Intelligence center is being built in Wiesbaden. The bug-proof offices and a high-tech control center are being built for $124 million. As soon as the Wiesbaden facility is completed, a complex currently being used in Darmstadt wil be closed. The facilities are being built exclusively by American citizens who have security clearances. Even the material being used to construct the buildings originates from the United States and is guarded throughout the shipping process to Germany.

[flamingdem]

1. Interesting to note this interview was done by Wikileaks hactivist and Poitras early on

The interview was conducted by US cryptography expert Jacob Appelbaum and documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras using "encrypted emails shortly before Snowden became known globally for his whistleblowing", Spiegel said.

[KittyWampus]

2. you found that little nugget, eh?

[flamingdem]

3. Yes indeedy-doo and so did some reporters who discussed it on twitter

** The main idea they're proposing is that the public wouldn't have been favorable if they knew the information was given to Wikileaks first, and the ties between Snowden and Wikileaks have been downplayed


John Schindler ‏@20committee 13m
@PierreOnTW Leaking to the media versus leaking to Wikileaks not seen as the same thing by many Americans.

also:


Pierre
‏@PierreOnTW
@20committee @WillardFoxton GG is running his own info warfare / disinformation campaign - exactly what he accuses the states of doing

also:

John Schindler ‏@20committee 2m
@PierreOnTW Given that Wikileaks is activist group, not any journalistic outlet, raises questions about motivation & direction from outset

John Schindler ‏@20committee 6m
Note that @ioerror, who we now know was involved w #Snowden early, got in a question in @ggreenwald 17 June "live blog" Q&A w Guardian

Willard Foxton ‏@WillardFoxton 2m
@20committee As did Spencer Ackerman, another Guardian journo!

John Schindler ‏@20committee 1m
@WillardFoxton Yep - at least Ackerman can say he is a legit journo; Appelbaum is big WL activist, clearly deeply involved in Ed case early.

** I'm hacking their conversation lol

John Schindler ‏@20committee 7h
@LibertyLynx @bobcesca_go I think a media refresh on who the WL people behind #Snowden actually are, is overdue.

R ‏@LibertyLynx 7h
@20committee Not only is Poitras the source of the current disinformation campaign, Der Spiegel is giving her bylines! @bobcesca_go

R ‏@LibertyLynx 7h
@20committee Laura's hatred runs as deep as Glenn's. There's virtually no difference. But she conceals it much better. @bobcesca_go

[KittyWampus]

4. Do you have a link to that thread?

[flamingdem]

5. John Schindler's twitter account has that plus new info

https://twitter.com/20committee

* to see some of his new tweets, click expand below the tweet to see the conversations
(sorry if you know that already but it's great to see the comments that way)

I'd then try this in the twitter search box

snowden @20committee

[KittyWampus]

6. Thanks. Guy's got a good sense of humor.

[flamingdem]

7. Yes, and doesn't hold back!

Greenwald has a number of non-friends out there and it's fun to see this guy go at him.

Seems that Greenwald can't always keep from twittering things that make him look unflattering!

he's fun to check out too

[KittyWampus]

8. Hmm, he seems to say that WikiLeaks brought in "kinda-journalists" (LOL!) to cover for Snowden dumps

after their disaster with Manning.

If true, they STILL haven't gotten it right. LOL!

[flamingdem]

9. Wikileaks is always going to be walking the edge

and they don't care about getting caught.

They live to troll. Funny that they helped Eddie out in the beginning, and now, but Snowden's dad says they're a bad influence?

[sabrina 1]

12. Wikileaks has been wonderful about exposing Bank and Government corruption and

excellent at foiling those who have so much to hide. Kudos to them for 'this little nugget' which proves, that none of this about our 'security', it is all about BUSINESS.

[jmowreader]

15. What, exactly, makes Appelbaum a "cryptography expert"?

I read his Wikipedia page...he looks more like a hacker than someone who's ever sat rack.

[flamingdem]

10. Looks like Poitras works with Appelbaum, plot thickens, how long have they

known about Snowden? When did they first make contact? Looking more and more like a Wikileaks led campaign.


R ‏@LibertyLynx 3h

@BostonBoomer He's been involved from day one. Poitras doesn't do anything w/out Appelbaum. @joshuafoust @bobcesca_go @20committee

[Scurrilous]

11. Thanks.

[KittyWampus]

13. your welcome

[Cha]

14. "In bed together with the Germans"!

Oh that little Snowden Flake is just full of surprises.

[flamingdem]

16. I agree, that was one big duh! I'm sure the Krauts were soo

amazed by this Spiegal report.

Am I allowed to say Kraut, will I get an alert lol

[CakeGrrl]

17. But Germany is OUTRAGED at the U.S.!

(right?)

Meanwhile, the DOJ quietly goes about its investigation, no doubt.

Maybe that's why GG is getting so pissy that he's had to walk back some recent nasty tweets. Nervous?