Report: German foreign intelligence service spied on journalists

The German Federal Intelligence Service spied on journalists from the BBC, New York Times and Reuters, German magazine Der Spiegel alleged Friday.

According to the report, the Bundesnachrichtendienst, commonly known as BND, has been surveilling at least 50 reporters since 1999.

BND documents obtained by Der Spiegel listed journalists' emails, faxes and telephone numbers, and showed, for example, that the conversations and emails of more than a dozen BBC reporters were being monitored via numbers at the BBC's main London office.

The documents also listed the information of a New York Times phone number in Afghanistan, and several mobile and satellite numbers for the Reuters news agency in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria. Reporters from smaller, less known news organizations in Kuwait, Lebanon, India, Nepal, Indonesia, and Zimbabwe were also under surveillance, the German magazine said.

The BBC expressed dismay over the reports.

"We are disappointed to hear these claims," a BBC spokesperson said. "The BBC's mission is to bring accurate news and information to people around the world, and our journalists should be able to operate freely and safely, with full protection for their sources. We call upon all governments to respect the operation of a free press."

The Independent quoted the German branch of Reporters Without Borders, as saying the alleged surveillance was "an egregious attack on press freedoms" and "a new dimension of constitutional violation."

The German foreign intelligence agency declined to comment directly on the report, saying it only communicates with the German government and lawmakers on parliament's intelligence oversight committee about "operative aspects" of its work.