Scott Rickard, a Florida-based activist and former American Intelligence officer, has criticized US authorities for the way they are handling the National Security Agency’s scandal.
NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander has defended his agency’s surveillance of friendly foreign governments, and the Obama administration has tried to distance itself from the scandal in recent days.
For the past decade, the United States has spied on citizens and foreign nationals and there is “no doubt” that top White House officials were involved in the programs, Rickard said Saturday in a phone interview with Press TV.
It’s an “irresponsible and immature” way to deal with such a scandal, he added.
Recent intelligence leaks have shown that the NSA has not only spied on American citizens but also eavesdropped on phone calls of at least 35 world leaders including those of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Gen. Alexander was under pressure to give “a national security justification” for the agency’s use of surveillance tools intended for combating terrorism against world leaders and private businesses.
Though President Barack Obama claimed he was not at all aware of the spying programs, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr., said the president was well informed.
The spy chief acknowledged this week that President Obama and other senior White House officials were well aware of NSA spying activities against leaders of friendly foreign nations.
Details of the NSA’s global spying programs have mostly been disclosed by former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden since June.
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Source: Press TV