The US National Security Agency recorded millions of phone
calls in France, including calls involving individuals with no links to
terrorism, French daily "Le Monde" reported Monday, citing documents
leaked by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who has received asylum in
Russia.
The NSA taped 70.3 million French phone calls in just a
little under a month in the period from December 10 last year to January 8,
2013, "Le Monde" reported on its website. The report was cited by
France 24.
The NSA automatically picked up communications from certain
phone numbers in France and recorded text messages under a program code named
"US-985D", the paper said.
"Le Monde" said the documents indicated that the
NSA targets not only people suspected of being involved in terrorism but also
high-profile individuals from the world of business or politics.
US authorities declined comment to the French daily on the
classified documents.
Snowden, who has taken temporary refuge in Russia, is wanted
in the United States on espionage and other charges after leaking details of
the NSA's monitoring activities to journalists.
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