Report: Israel's Mossad may have hacked former French president Sarkozy's communications in 2012
Le Monde reports US denied involvement in phone tapping, as well as that of allies, but NSA would not vouch for Israel.
By JPOST.COM STAFFPM Netanyahu with French President Nicolas Sarkozy 311 (R)(photo credit: REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)
US National Security Agency documents revealed by fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden demonstrate that Israel may have hacked into former French President Nicholas Sarkozy's communication network in May 2012, Le Monde reported on Friday.After the French discovered the hack, French officials Bernard Barbier and Patrick Pailloux traveled to Washington seeking clarification from the Americans on the issue, according to the report.The Americans denied involvement in the hacking and said that their closest allies Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were also not involved.However, the NSA would not vouch for Israel to the French, saying it "intentionally did not ask either Mossad or [Israel's cyber-intelligence unit] ISNU whether they were involved as France is not an approved target for joint discussions."Le Monde interpreted this statement as a hint of Israel's involvement in the hacking."Israel is a country which is a friend, ally and partner of France and does not carry out any hostile activity which could pose a threat to its security," Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office told Le Monde following the report.The report comes one day after a different report also based on documents leaked by Snowden, claimed that the United States monitored the phone conversations of 35 world leaders.
