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German Authorities Lack Evidence To Prosecute Anyone For NSA Spying

Posted by Unknown on from the leave-no-trace dept.

jfruh (300774) writes "The revelations about the NSA's surveillance program caused particular outrage in Germany, a country that is closely allied with the United States but nevertheless found that its leader's cell phone was being snooped on. Nevertheless, the German federal prosecutor's office will not be bringing any charges against anyone, mostly because they lack enough evidence (Google translation). The decision is sparking anger among German privacy advocates."

4 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. NSA surveillance in Germany is most probably legal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We have treaties left over from WW2 that interestingly were put in place. There is a Professor at Freiburg University who says what the NSA is doing in Germany is basically legal. He even claims that the German secret service can legally assist the NSA.

    http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/historiker-foschepoth-ueber-us-ueberwachung-die-nsa-darf-in-deutschland-alles-machen-1.1717216

    We also have a quite unspecific exception clause in Artikel 10 (section 10) of our Grundgesetz (constituiton), that restricts applicability of telecommunications secrecy.

    http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/gg/art_10.html

  2. translation by stenvar · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The NSA couldn't spy and monitor in Germany without the close and widespread collaboration of the German government and German corporations.

    What they are really saying is that they couldn't find someone to shift the blame to outside the government or the corporations close to the government.

  3. Re:Sounds like a good way to save face by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Ja, Ve investigated but der Amerikans undt Birtish vouldn't answer zee question and zee others vent all Sgt Schulz on uns"

    ...Holy crap...

    I have always found it strange how you Anglo Saxons see so much sanctity in feces. To us Germans it is a revolting substance but for you it is the focus of much religious reverence.

    --
    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow
  4. Re:Sounds like a good way to save face by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Funny

    I have always found it strange how you Anglo Saxons see so much sanctity in feces. To us Germans it is a revolting substance but for you it is the focus of much religious reverence.

    That's OK, we've never understood why your toilets have shelves so you can inspect your own feces.

    So, whose the one obsessed with poo?

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.