WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — It comes as no surprise that Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) would spy on European and American allies because they have learned the tricks of the trade from US agencies, former Edward Snowden attorney Jessleyn Radack told Sputnik on Thursday.
"The Germans have been cooperating very closely with the United States on everything from drone strikes to secret surveillance, so I wouldn’t be surprised if that were happening," Radack said when asked about BND spying on the US and EU targets.
On Wednesday, German media reported that the BND spied on its allies in the European Union and the United States until the practice was stopped by the chancellor’s chief of staff.
Spiegel Online cited data disclosed during Wednesday’s parliamentary hearing that indicates the BND apparently spied on EU embassies and government agencies for years until fall 2013.
Earlier this year, German media revealed that US spies used BND's Bad Aibling listening post in southern Bavaria to spy on European targets, including political figures and corporations.
The US National Security Agency (NSA) has come under fire for spying on high-ranking members of foreign governments, including Japanese, French, Saudi, Brazilian and German officials, according to documents uncovered by WikiLeaks.
