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Spain to launch probe into US spying

29 October 2013 18:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Spain’s public prosecutor's office will open proceedings to determine whether Madrid should take legal action over allegations of US mass spying, APA reports quoting Press TV.

Judicial sources in Spain have told the state news agency EFE on Tuesday that the office was to decide whether the massive US surveillance of Spanish citizens could involve criminal aspects and whether Spain would be the right party to investigate them.

The Spanish government on Monday summoned the American ambassador over revelations that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had recently collected data on over 60 million telephone calls in Spain.

Revelations from former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden have damaged ties between the US and the European Union. A senior European official warned on Tuesday that it is “urgent and essential” that Washington take action to rebuild transatlantic ties after the revelation that it spied on European leaders. “Friends and partners do not spy on each other,” said Viviane Reding, vice president of the European Commission and EU Justice Commissioner, in a Washington speech.

The US colossal spying operations have targeted leaders and citizens of other nations including some of its close allies including Germany, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The scandal reached its climax after revelations that the NSA even bugged German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone.

Reports of the US spying have stirred outrage in the countries that have been the target of the spying operations.

Germany's parliament is set to hold a special session on the revelations with left-wing parties demanding a public inquiry calling in witnesses including Edward Snowden.