Spy outcry continues
The Lord will “rebuke offenders” to warn them of their sins “that they may abandon their wickedness,” the first reading this Sunday says. European Union lawmakers this week rebuked the United States for alleged widespread spying, insisting that the . . .
The Lord will “rebuke offenders” to warn them of their sins “that they may abandon their wickedness,” the first reading this Sunday says. European Union lawmakers this week rebuked the United States for alleged widespread spying, insisting that the surveillance stop. While justifying its national security interests, the U.S. has promised an extensive review of the monitoring programs.
The 23-nation-member European Parliament met Monday with U.S. lawmakers and officials in several government agencies, including the National Security Council. U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein on Monday called for a '"total review'' of all U.S. intelligence programs in response to the allegations, which the California Democrat said she was not told about.
But even with diplomatic efforts under way, European officials continue to look for a way to pressure the U.S. to provide details of past surveillance. They also want assurances that the practice will be curbed.
On the domestic spying front it was learned Wednesday that the National Security Agency (NSA) has secretly broken into the main communications links which connect Yahoo and Google data centers around the world, according to documents obtained from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and interviews with knowledgeable officials.
In a statement, Google’s chief legal officer, David Drummond, said the company has “long been concerned about the possibility of this kind of snooping” and has not provided the government with access to its systems. “We are outraged at the lengths to which the government seems to have gone to intercept data from our private fiber networks, and it underscores the need for urgent reform,” he said.
There were also unconfirmed reports that the NSA may have intercepted communications at the Vatican before and during the recent papal conclave.
Homily hint: While there are serious concerns about a government that seems to stop at no ends to gather information in the interests of national security, we also should strive to live personally in such as way that we have little to hide or be ashamed of. Integrity in public begins with integrity in private. Nothing is hidden from the God who sees into the human heart.
The 23-nation-member European Parliament met Monday with U.S. lawmakers and officials in several government agencies, including the National Security Council. U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein on Monday called for a '"total review'' of all U.S. intelligence programs in response to the allegations, which the California Democrat said she was not told about.
But even with diplomatic efforts under way, European officials continue to look for a way to pressure the U.S. to provide details of past surveillance. They also want assurances that the practice will be curbed.
On the domestic spying front it was learned Wednesday that the National Security Agency (NSA) has secretly broken into the main communications links which connect Yahoo and Google data centers around the world, according to documents obtained from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and interviews with knowledgeable officials.
In a statement, Google’s chief legal officer, David Drummond, said the company has “long been concerned about the possibility of this kind of snooping” and has not provided the government with access to its systems. “We are outraged at the lengths to which the government seems to have gone to intercept data from our private fiber networks, and it underscores the need for urgent reform,” he said.
There were also unconfirmed reports that the NSA may have intercepted communications at the Vatican before and during the recent papal conclave.
Homily hint: While there are serious concerns about a government that seems to stop at no ends to gather information in the interests of national security, we also should strive to live personally in such as way that we have little to hide or be ashamed of. Integrity in public begins with integrity in private. Nothing is hidden from the God who sees into the human heart.
Sources: Articles by by Barton Gellman and Ashkan Soltani for the Washington Post, Voice
of America, Adam Taylor for Business Insider, and Clelsea J. Carter and Jason Hanna for CNN