Belgium investigates Colombian 'spying'

[Judi Lynn]

Belgium investigates Colombian 'spying'
Tuesday, 30 November 2010 11:41 Adriaan Alsema

Judicial authorities in Belgium formally opened an investigation into the alleged spying activities of Colombia's intelligence agency DAS in the European country. Belgium opened the investigation in response to claims by human rights organizations that the DAS "with all impunity and without authorization" illegally intercepted phone calls in that country.

According to one of the plaintiffs, human rights advocate Veronique van der Plancke, the DAS, without any "legal permission" from or "consultation" with Belgian intelligence authorities, spied illegally on NGOs in Belgium, conducted "slander and defamation" operations against them and "violated the confidentiality" of their computers.

A spokesman from the Belgian Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed to French press agency AFP that it had begun investigating the claims.

According to Colombian media, the DAS spied on European NGOs and even the European Parliament as part of "Operation Europe," which was intended to find information to delegitimize the work of Europeans who worked for human rights in Colombia.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/13191-belgium-investigated-colombian-spying.html

(Emphasis added.)