[France 24 - http://www.france24.com/en/20130707-snowden-says-western-states-bed-with-nsa ]
AFP - Fugitive intelligence leaker Edward Snowden said the US
National Security Agency operates broad secret spying partnerships with
other Western governments now complaining about its programmes, in an
interview published Sunday.
Snowden said in comments made before his exposure of US espionage
practices came to light last month and printed in German news weekly Der
Spiegel that NSA spies are "in bed together with the Germans and most
other Western states".
In remarks published in German, Snowden said an NSA department known
as the Foreign Affairs Directorate coordinated work with foreign secret
services.
The partnerships are organised so that authorities in other countries
can "insulate their political leaders from the backlash" if it becomes
public "how grievously they're violating global privacy," he said.-[Full Article]
