German man suspected of US spying

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin. Picture: Thomas Peter

German Chancellor Angela Merkel attends a cabinet meeting at the Chancellery in Berlin. Picture: Thomas Peter

Published Jul 4, 2014

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Berlin -

Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman says she has been informed of the arrest of a German man who, according to media reports, is an intelligence service employee accused of spying for the US.

German federal prosecutors said a 31-year-old German man was arrested on Wednesday, suspected of spying for foreign intelligence services. They did not identify the suspect or the intelligence services.

Der Spiegel magazine and the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported on Friday, without naming sources, that the man worked for the Federal Intelligence Service and is accused of spying for the US.

Alleged National Security Agency surveillance, including of Merkel's cellphone, has troubled relations.

Merkel spokesman Steffen Seibert said the chancellor was informed of the case on Thursday but wouldn't comment on the country involved. Merkel spoke with President Barack Obama late on Thursday. - Sapa-AP

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