Germany plans spy counter-offensive against NSA, enlists allies for network

Germany has come up with an idea to counter NSA surveillance: an increase in counter-espionage efforts at home and with European allies.

“[The Americans are] like cowboys who only understand the language of the Wild West,” members of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party said, according to Der Spiegel.

In addition to beefing up its own offensive capabilities, Germany’s plans to enlist its European allies would counter both U.S. and British intelligence gathering, the UK Independent reported.

Ms. Merkel announced the plans during her weekly podcast, the Independent reported. She will also discuss the proposed network on Wednesday with French President François Hollande.

“Above all we’ll talk about European providers that offer security to our citizens, so that one shouldn’t have to send emails and other information across the Atlantic,” said Ms. Merkel. “Rather one could build up a communications network inside Europe,” the Independent reported.

According to Der Spiegel, millions of German telephone calls have been accessed by the NSA. On Jan. 7, 2013, the magazine reported that 60 million German citizens had their phone conversations compromised.

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