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German parliament to hold special session on US spying

October 29, 2013 10:05 AM

Berlin, Oct 29

 

The German parliament will hold a special session in November on alleged US spying that included monitoring of mobile phone communications of Chancellor Angela Merkel, the chancellor's party said Monday.

Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Social Democrats have agreed to hold the special session Nov 18 to address the possible US spying on the mobile phone communications of the German chancellor, Xinhua reported.

There have been calls for a special parliamentary investigative committee on the spying accusations, with some deputies demanding to summon whistleblower Edward Snowden to act as a witness.

Germany's Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger told local media Monday that the German Federal Prosecutor's Office will have to consider the possibility of interrogating Snowden as a witness if suspicions on the spying prove correct and a case is opened.

Snowden, a former US intelligence contractor, provided classified documents with evidence of the alleged spying scandal.

German newspaper Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported Sunday that US President Barack Obama was aware of the alleged monitoring of mobile phone communications of Merkel years ago. But the claim was denied by the US side.

The German government has voiced its anger at possible US intelligence's tapping of Merkel's phone, saying it would be "a serious breach of trust" if confirmed.

 

By:IANS

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