Britain’s GCHQ monitored Irish internet traffic — RT News.
Britain’s surveillance body, Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), could be tapping underwater cables connecting Ireland to the global web, according to a new document leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden and released by German media.
The document, titled ‘Partner Cables,’ identifies the cables that GCHQ has tried to gain access to, and names their owners by codename.
Vodafone subsidiary Cable & Wireless apparently cooperated closely with the British intelligence agency and provided them with details, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) reported as it published the leak.
A total of 63 submarine cables are listed – among which are 29 Cable & Wireless lines under the alias GERONTIC, which are mentioned as potential helpers. The Solas undersea cable – which links Ireland’s County Wexford to Wales – is included in the list.
The method of access is described as being “DCO,” which stands for “direct cable ownership.”
According to the document, Cable & Wireless “actively shaped and provided the most data to GCHQ mass surveillance programmes, and received millions of pounds in compensation.” It added that Cable & Wireless apparently played a key role “in the establishment of one of the Government Communications Headquarters’ (GCHQ) most controversial surveillance programs.”
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
