Gen Keith Alexander never discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Angela Merkel, an NSA spokeswoman said.
German media say the US has been tapping the chancellor's phone since 2002, and Mr Obama was told in 2010.
The row has led to one of the worst diplomatic crises between the two countries in recent years.
A report in German tabloid Bild am Sonntag claimed that Gen Alexander had told the president about the bugging himself.
"[General] Alexander did not discuss with President Obama in 2010 an alleged foreign intelligence operation involving German Chancellor Merkel, nor has he ever discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel," NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines said.
"News reports claiming otherwise are not true."
The statement does not make it clear whether the president was informed of the bugging operation by other means.
Mr Obama is reported to have told the German chancellor that he knew nothing of the operation when the two leaders spoke.
Germany is sending its top intelligence chiefs to Washington in the coming week to "push forward" an investigation into the spying allegations, which have caused outrage in Germany.
Der Spiegel's report, based on leaked documents, says a US listening unit was based in its Berlin embassy - and similar operations were replicated in 80 locations around the world.
Read more : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24698142
German media say the US has been tapping the chancellor's phone since 2002, and Mr Obama was told in 2010.
The row has led to one of the worst diplomatic crises between the two countries in recent years.
A report in German tabloid Bild am Sonntag claimed that Gen Alexander had told the president about the bugging himself.
An NSA source told the paper that Obama had
not stopped the operation, and had wanted to know all about Mrs Merkel
as "he did not trust her".
'Not true'
However a statement from the National Security Agency on Sunday denied the reports in Bild."[General] Alexander did not discuss with President Obama in 2010 an alleged foreign intelligence operation involving German Chancellor Merkel, nor has he ever discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel," NSA spokeswoman Vanee Vines said.
"News reports claiming otherwise are not true."
The statement does not make it clear whether the president was informed of the bugging operation by other means.
Mr Obama is reported to have told the German chancellor that he knew nothing of the operation when the two leaders spoke.
Germany is sending its top intelligence chiefs to Washington in the coming week to "push forward" an investigation into the spying allegations, which have caused outrage in Germany.
Der Spiegel's report, based on leaked documents, says a US listening unit was based in its Berlin embassy - and similar operations were replicated in 80 locations around the world.
Read more : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24698142
0 comments:
Post a Comment