The UK government has been accused of endangering diplomatic relations with Belgium after its “exceptional” refusal to cooperate with an inquiry into GCHQ’s alleged hacking of Belgacom, the country’s biggest telecoms company.
For at least two years ending in 2013, the British intelligence service was probably spying within the state-owned company’s networks on the instruction of UK ministers, according to leaks from a judicial inquiry presented to Belgium’s national security council this week.
When asked by the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office to cooperate with the investigation into the alleged hacking, the UK Home office is said to have refused, claiming: “The United Kingdom believes that this could jeopardise our sovereignty, security and public order.”
According to the Belgian newspaper De Standaard, the prosecutor’s office regarded the response as “exceptional between EU states, and something that could lead to a diplomatic incident”.
Sophia in ’t Veld, a member of the European parliament’s committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs, tweeted in response to the media report: “Remarkable attitude towards other European countries, pre or post Brexit.”
The Belgian prime minister, Charles Michel, declined to comment.
The GCHQ operation, if proven, would be the first documented example of an EU member state covertly hacking into the critical infrastructure of another.
The Belgian investigation into the alleged hacking was launched in response to claims made by the National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden five years ago when he leaked 20 slides exposing GCHQ’s hacking targets, which included Belgacom, now known as Proximus.
For more read the full of article at The Guardian
