NSA eavesdropped on 3 French Presidents

Paris: WikiLeaks published documents that it says show the US National Security Agency eavesdropped on the last three French presidents, releasing material which appeared to capture officials in Paris talking candidly about Greece’s economy, relations with Germany and, ironically, American espionage. France, now on the verge of approving broad new surveillance powers, is among several US allies that rely heavily on American spying powers when trying to prevent terrorist and other threats.

WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said the documents were authentic, noting that WikiLeaks’ previous mass disclosures, including a large cache of Saudi diplomatic memos released last week, have been accurate. Wednesday’s incident comes just weeks after the US President, Barack Obama, signed into law landmark legislation ending the US government’s bulk telephone data dragnet, significantly reversing American policy by reining in the most controversial surveillance programme since 9/11.

“We are not targeting and will not target the communications of President Hollande,” said National Security Council spokesman Ned Price, calling the US partnership with France “indispensable”. Although, Hollande’s office did not comment anything about his security meeting on Wednesday, the Socialist Party, issued a statement saying the reports suggest “a truly stupefying state paranoia.”