Brazil spy chiefs suspended

Brazilian intelligence chiefs have been suspended from duty amid phone tapping allegations.

Izvor: BBC

Tuesday, 02.09.2008.

13:45

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Brazilian intelligence chiefs have been suspended from duty amid phone tapping allegations. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ordered that the agency's leadership be removed while an investigation into the reports was carried out. Brazil spy chiefs suspended The accusations that phones of top officials were tapped surfaced in a news magazine at the weekend, prompting opposition calls for an inquiry. Wiretaps are common in Brazil, but the latest reports have raised concerns. Veja magazine alleged that senior figures, including President Lula's chief of staff and the head of the Senate, had had their phones bugged by the intelligence agency, known as Abin. The magazine published what it said was the transcript of a telephone conversation between the head of the Supreme Court, Gilmar Mendes, and an opposition politician, Demostenes Torres. The agent, who was said to have provided the transcript, alleged that such illegal phone tapping was common. Lula was outraged by the reports, his spokesman said, and held urgent meetings with Mendes and members of Congress. A statement from the president' s office said Abin's director general, Paulo Lacerda, and other top officials were being removed from their posts until an inquiry was completed.

Brazil spy chiefs suspended

The accusations that phones of top officials were tapped surfaced in a news magazine at the weekend, prompting opposition calls for an inquiry.

Wiretaps are common in Brazil, but the latest reports have raised concerns.

Veja magazine alleged that senior figures, including President Lula's chief of staff and the head of the Senate, had had their phones bugged by the intelligence agency, known as Abin.

The magazine published what it said was the transcript of a telephone conversation between the head of the Supreme Court, Gilmar Mendes, and an opposition politician, Demostenes Torres.

The agent, who was said to have provided the transcript, alleged that such illegal phone tapping was common.

Lula was outraged by the reports, his spokesman said, and held urgent meetings with Mendes and members of Congress.

A statement from the president' s office said Abin's director general, Paulo Lacerda, and other top officials were being removed from their posts until an inquiry was completed.

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