RT: The US NSA’s ultimate goal along with its UK partner, the GCHQ, is to eliminate individual privacy worldwide, journalist Glenn Greenwald has told an EU inquiry.
He criticized EU governments’ muted response to the revelations of the NSA’s mass espionage. Describing a reaction of “apathy and indifference” at reports normal citizens were being spied on, Greenwald said EU politicians only took action when they discovered they themselves were being targeted.
“I think western governments have inculcated people to accept that privacy does not really matter,” said Greenwald, adding it was “to get populations accustomed to violations of their privacy.”
Greenwald, the former Guardian journalist known for publishing Edward Snowden’s leaks, testified before the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties and Home Affairs via video connection, contributing to an inquiry into the NSA’s surveillance on EU citizens.
“The NSA doesn’t need a specific reason to collect data on citizens’ communications,” said the journalist, reminding the panel that the agency’s ultimate goal is to “eliminate individual privacy worldwide.”
Contradicting Washington’s claims that it does not engage in "economic espionage," Greenwald said the NSA and the GCHQ's activities were aimed towards “diplomatic manipulation and accumulation of power.”
Greenwald rejected the accusations of the American government that Snowden and his accomplices have put the fight against terrorism in jeopardy by releasing classified data. He said that the only thing that has been harmed is the “perception of honesty and credibility” of the governments engaged in spying.
The inquiry was set up to discuss ratcheting up the security of the internet and telephone networks in the European Union.
Whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the massive scale of the American spy agency’s espionage program in Europe earlier this year. He disseminated classified files to international media that showed the NSA had monitored a number of high-profile political figures including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Furthermore, it was revealed that the organization gathers metadata on millions of telephone calls across the European Union.
Snowden is also expected to testify before the Civil Liberties Committee in January as part of the inquiry.
Screenshot from Ruptly video
Edited by WD
Source
He criticized EU governments’ muted response to the revelations of the NSA’s mass espionage. Describing a reaction of “apathy and indifference” at reports normal citizens were being spied on, Greenwald said EU politicians only took action when they discovered they themselves were being targeted.“I think western governments have inculcated people to accept that privacy does not really matter,” said Greenwald, adding it was “to get populations accustomed to violations of their privacy.”
Greenwald, the former Guardian journalist known for publishing Edward Snowden’s leaks, testified before the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties and Home Affairs via video connection, contributing to an inquiry into the NSA’s surveillance on EU citizens.
“The NSA doesn’t need a specific reason to collect data on citizens’ communications,” said the journalist, reminding the panel that the agency’s ultimate goal is to “eliminate individual privacy worldwide.”
Contradicting Washington’s claims that it does not engage in "economic espionage," Greenwald said the NSA and the GCHQ's activities were aimed towards “diplomatic manipulation and accumulation of power.”
Greenwald rejected the accusations of the American government that Snowden and his accomplices have put the fight against terrorism in jeopardy by releasing classified data. He said that the only thing that has been harmed is the “perception of honesty and credibility” of the governments engaged in spying.
The inquiry was set up to discuss ratcheting up the security of the internet and telephone networks in the European Union.
Whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed the massive scale of the American spy agency’s espionage program in Europe earlier this year. He disseminated classified files to international media that showed the NSA had monitored a number of high-profile political figures including German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Furthermore, it was revealed that the organization gathers metadata on millions of telephone calls across the European Union.
Snowden is also expected to testify before the Civil Liberties Committee in January as part of the inquiry.
Screenshot from Ruptly video
Edited by WD
Source
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