Former National Security Agency employee Wayne Madsen says tech companies in the United States are œthreatened” into cooperating with the NSA to spy on œevery leader of every country around the world.”
œEvery leader in every country around the world that is using intensive Internet technology or IT information technology can rest assured that the NSA is listening on their communications,” Madsen said in an interview with Press TV on Saturday.
œIf they haven™t cracked into their security system, they soon will because of the cooperation by telecommunications firms in helping the NSA conduct this surveillance,” he added.
Madsen made the remarks after intelligence leaks revealed that the NSA has masqueraded as Google in order to spy on web users.
The leaked document was among data released by Brazilian TV network Globo News based on classified information provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden. The report revealed that the US spy agency conducts economic espionage on Brazilian oil giant Petrobras.
œThese companies like Google and Facebook and others are all working intimately with the National Security Agency to conduct its surveillance,” he said.
œCompanies that refuse are threatened… corporate officials are threatened with imprisonment and then they are not even allowed to state whether they™ve been asked to cooperate or turn over information to the federal government,” he added.
œAs for Brazil, the NSA has historically conducted economic intelligence gathering even though they claim they don™t.”
Leaked documents have shown that the NSA also spied on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and other Brazilian officials.
HJ/HJ
Copyright: Press TV