It was through these cables that the wiretapping took place which, using the phone numbers of the target politicians of espionage as a filter, gave access to phone calls, chats and text messages. And the US NSA also had access to the data collection center and listening station at the Sandagergård military base on the Baltic island of Amager.
The reactions. Macron: unacceptable
The Danish Defense Minister, Trine Bramsen, while premising that the government cannot comment on intelligence matters, stressed that the government considers systematic wiretapping by allies “unacceptable”. But the reactions of the countries in the crosshairs were not long in coming, summarized by Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron who, in the press conference following the Franco-German government consultations, said they expected clarification, as the Minister of Swedish defense, Peter Hultqvist, and Norwegian defense, Frank Bakke-Jensen.
“If the information is true – added Macron – I would like to say that this is unacceptable between allies and even less between allies and European partners”. The same, harsh reaction of one of the intercepted, Peer Steinbrück, who told the German broadcaster ARD that he found the fact that intelligence spying on allied countries “grotesque”. “Politically – he concluded – I consider it a scandal”.
More conciliatory, on the other hand, Angela Merkel, who said she was “relieved that the Danish government, the Minister of Defense, has said very clearly what you think about these things. And in this sense – he concluded – I see a good basis, not only to clarify things, but to really build a relationship of trust ».
A trust that, it must be remembered, does not concern only the European partners, but above all the great American ally: that president Joe Biden with whom Europe is now trying to relaunch relations and who, at the time of the facts, was the number two of Obama.