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| Data Suggests Push to Spy on Merkel Dates to ’02 | Data Suggests Push to Spy on Merkel Dates to ’02 |
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| BERLIN — New details about the monitoring of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone by the National Security Agency further stoked the German government’s anger on Sunday and raised two questions: Why did the United States target her as early as 2002, and why did it take five years for the Obama administration to put a halt to the surveillance? | BERLIN — New details about the monitoring of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone by the National Security Agency further stoked the German government’s anger on Sunday and raised two questions: Why did the United States target her as early as 2002, and why did it take five years for the Obama administration to put a halt to the surveillance? |
| The latest round of recriminations came after Der Spiegel, the German newsmagazine, published details from what it described as an entry from an N.S.A. database, apparently from the trove of documents downloaded by Edward J. Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor who is now in temporary asylum in Moscow. | The latest round of recriminations came after Der Spiegel, the German newsmagazine, published details from what it described as an entry from an N.S.A. database, apparently from the trove of documents downloaded by Edward J. Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor who is now in temporary asylum in Moscow. |
| The database entry, according to Der Spiegel and outside experts, seemed to indicate that the request to monitor her cellphone began in 2002. But the document refers to her as “chancellor,” a position she has held only since late 2005. That seems to suggest the database entry had been updated. | The database entry, according to Der Spiegel and outside experts, seemed to indicate that the request to monitor her cellphone began in 2002. But the document refers to her as “chancellor,” a position she has held only since late 2005. That seems to suggest the database entry had been updated. |
| The authenticity of the document could not be independently confirmed. But the German intelligence services believe it to be real, and in conversations between Susan E. Rice, the national security adviser, and her German counterpart, Ms. Rice made no effort to question the evidence, even while declining to confirm that Ms. Merkel’s cellphone was ever monitored, according to both American and German officials. | The authenticity of the document could not be independently confirmed. But the German intelligence services believe it to be real, and in conversations between Susan E. Rice, the national security adviser, and her German counterpart, Ms. Rice made no effort to question the evidence, even while declining to confirm that Ms. Merkel’s cellphone was ever monitored, according to both American and German officials. |
| Der Spiegel also reported that the monitoring operation was run from the United States Embassy in the heart of Berlin, right by the Brandenburg Gate where President Obama spoke during a visit here last June. He also spoke about a mile from the gate during a now-famous campaign appearance in 2008. On his latest trip, with the Snowden documents already leaking out, he promised a full review of American spying on its allies. | Der Spiegel also reported that the monitoring operation was run from the United States Embassy in the heart of Berlin, right by the Brandenburg Gate where President Obama spoke during a visit here last June. He also spoke about a mile from the gate during a now-famous campaign appearance in 2008. On his latest trip, with the Snowden documents already leaking out, he promised a full review of American spying on its allies. |
| The administration has seemed uncertain about how to handle the reports concerning Ms. Merkel, who has enjoyed a close rapport with Mr. Obama and has provided critical intelligence on Al Qaeda and on Iran’s nuclear program. Last week the White House stuck to carefully scripted talking points, saying Ms. Merkel was not currently being monitored and would not be in the future, but refused to say anything about the past. | The administration has seemed uncertain about how to handle the reports concerning Ms. Merkel, who has enjoyed a close rapport with Mr. Obama and has provided critical intelligence on Al Qaeda and on Iran’s nuclear program. Last week the White House stuck to carefully scripted talking points, saying Ms. Merkel was not currently being monitored and would not be in the future, but refused to say anything about the past. |
| That changed on Sunday, when the N.S.A. issued a statement to deny another German news media report, published in Bild am Sonntag, that said Mr. Obama had been briefed on the surveillance of Ms. Merkel in 2010 by Gen. Keith Alexander, the head of the N.S.A. and of the United States Cyber Command. The report contradicted assurances given privately to the German authorities by Ms. Rice that Mr. Obama was unaware of any such operation. | That changed on Sunday, when the N.S.A. issued a statement to deny another German news media report, published in Bild am Sonntag, that said Mr. Obama had been briefed on the surveillance of Ms. Merkel in 2010 by Gen. Keith Alexander, the head of the N.S.A. and of the United States Cyber Command. The report contradicted assurances given privately to the German authorities by Ms. Rice that Mr. Obama was unaware of any such operation. |
| The N.S.A. statement said that “General Alexander did not discuss with President Obama in 2010 an alleged foreign intelligence operation involving German Chancellor Merkel, nor has he ever discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel. News reports claiming otherwise are not true.” | The N.S.A. statement said that “General Alexander did not discuss with President Obama in 2010 an alleged foreign intelligence operation involving German Chancellor Merkel, nor has he ever discussed alleged operations involving Chancellor Merkel. News reports claiming otherwise are not true.” |
| The N.S.A. statement did not question the validity of the database entry indicating when surveillance began, back when Ms. Merkel was the leader of the Christian Democratic Party. Nor did it shed light on why Ms. Merkel, a rare stalwart supporter in Europe of the Bush administration’s plans to invade Iraq, was chosen for surveillance. | |
| On Sunday evening a senior administration official said of the spying on allies that the White House believed that “it’s not that the N.S.A. or the intelligence community were going rogue or operating out of bounds.” But the official added that two reviews of N.S.A. practices ordered by Mr. Obama are “to ensure that the intelligence community is getting the appropriate guidance from policy makers.” | On Sunday evening a senior administration official said of the spying on allies that the White House believed that “it’s not that the N.S.A. or the intelligence community were going rogue or operating out of bounds.” But the official added that two reviews of N.S.A. practices ordered by Mr. Obama are “to ensure that the intelligence community is getting the appropriate guidance from policy makers.” |
| The Obama administration has said as little as possible about the reports of the operation against Ms. Merkel, seemingly in hopes it will blow over. But the recent disclosures appear to have raised many new questions, including several that White House officials, saying they could not discuss classified intelligence matters, have been trying to deflect. | The Obama administration has said as little as possible about the reports of the operation against Ms. Merkel, seemingly in hopes it will blow over. But the recent disclosures appear to have raised many new questions, including several that White House officials, saying they could not discuss classified intelligence matters, have been trying to deflect. |
| First among them is why Mr. Obama, by White House and N.S.A. accounts, was not made aware of the surveillance of a close ally. American officials have said that while the president approves major operations for the intelligence agencies, he does not get involved in the selection of targets. “I think this just wasn’t on the White House radar,” said one administration official familiar with internal discussions of the subject. | First among them is why Mr. Obama, by White House and N.S.A. accounts, was not made aware of the surveillance of a close ally. American officials have said that while the president approves major operations for the intelligence agencies, he does not get involved in the selection of targets. “I think this just wasn’t on the White House radar,” said one administration official familiar with internal discussions of the subject. |
| But given the delicacy of the subject — and previous German protests about other forms of surveillance — it is unclear why General Alexander or James R. Clapper Jr., the director of national intelligence, would not have informed Mr. Obama as soon as the phone taps were disclosed. The White House has never said when any operations against Ms. Merkel ended, but the database entry published by Der Spiegel appeared to be current earlier this year. The Wall Street Journal reported late on Sunday that the N.S.A. program that was used to spy on a number of world leaders ended over the summer. | |
| Even if Mr. Obama was unaware, it is possible some of his senior staff were. While the President’s Daily Brief, the intelligence assessment of global threats Mr. Obama is given each day, is heavy on analysis, some of his aides receive far more detailed accounts of intercepts in their daily binders of intelligence assessments. | Even if Mr. Obama was unaware, it is possible some of his senior staff were. While the President’s Daily Brief, the intelligence assessment of global threats Mr. Obama is given each day, is heavy on analysis, some of his aides receive far more detailed accounts of intercepts in their daily binders of intelligence assessments. |
| In the United States, Representative Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican, vigorously defended American surveillance activities in Europe, saying that much of the anger over them flowed from a misunderstanding of their scope and intent. | |
| Mr. Rogers insisted on the CNN program “State of the Union” that the N.S.A. surveillance program, particularly regarding France, but also Germany, had been badly misrepresented and that it was designed to protect them and other countries from the threat of terrorist attacks. | Mr. Rogers insisted on the CNN program “State of the Union” that the N.S.A. surveillance program, particularly regarding France, but also Germany, had been badly misrepresented and that it was designed to protect them and other countries from the threat of terrorist attacks. |
| Reporters who had seen an N.S.A. slide concluded incorrectly that the agency had monitored 70 million French phone calls, he said, adding that reports of the monitoring of Ms. Merkel’s cellphone were also incomplete. He did not elaborate. | Reporters who had seen an N.S.A. slide concluded incorrectly that the agency had monitored 70 million French phone calls, he said, adding that reports of the monitoring of Ms. Merkel’s cellphone were also incomplete. He did not elaborate. |
| The extent of the German news coverage reflected how deeply anger and a feeling of deception had penetrated the political establishment here, underscored by Ms. Merkel’s decision last week to place an indignant call to Mr. Obama. She has said that trust must be restored, and that words will not be enough. | |
| Ms. Merkel has come under fire at home for failing to act vigorously when Der Spiegel first reported massive surveillance of German data in June. At the time of Mr. Obama’s visit, she concurred with him that the intelligence operations had prevented terrorist acts in Germany. Senior officials of her government later declared the affair over after visiting Washington in August and gaining what they said were repeated assurances that no German laws had been broken. | Ms. Merkel has come under fire at home for failing to act vigorously when Der Spiegel first reported massive surveillance of German data in June. At the time of Mr. Obama’s visit, she concurred with him that the intelligence operations had prevented terrorist acts in Germany. Senior officials of her government later declared the affair over after visiting Washington in August and gaining what they said were repeated assurances that no German laws had been broken. |
| The Germans and the French have said they will send senior intelligence officials to Washington this week to work on a “no-spy” accord — or another accord that regulates spying between close allies. | The Germans and the French have said they will send senior intelligence officials to Washington this week to work on a “no-spy” accord — or another accord that regulates spying between close allies. |
| Ms. Merkel’s interior minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, and other officials have said they will review all the statements made to them by Washington and demand further confirmation that they are true. “The U.S.A. must explain where and to what extent they intercepted the communications of citizens and the government,” Mr. Friedrich told the daily newspaper The Bild. | Ms. Merkel’s interior minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, and other officials have said they will review all the statements made to them by Washington and demand further confirmation that they are true. “The U.S.A. must explain where and to what extent they intercepted the communications of citizens and the government,” Mr. Friedrich told the daily newspaper The Bild. |
| A leading member of Mr. Friedrich’s party, the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats, called for trans-Atlantic trade talks between the United States and the European Union to be suspended. | |
Alison Smale and Melissa Eddy reported from Berlin, and David E. Sanger from Washington. Brian Knowlton contributed reporting from Washington. | Alison Smale and Melissa Eddy reported from Berlin, and David E. Sanger from Washington. Brian Knowlton contributed reporting from Washington. |
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