US mum on whether it spied on Barbados cellphone calls

(Barbados Nation) The United States National Security Agency (NSA) has refused to confirm or deny if it has been eavesdropping on Barbadian cellphone calls.

Agency spokesperson Vanee Vines would say neither “yes” nor “no” to questions from the DAILY NATION on if it had been doing so.

“We don’t comment on specific, alleged foreign intelligence activities,” was her response.

Questions have been raised in the region on just how widespread the NSA’s activities were after it was revealed late last month that it was secretly intercepting, recording, and archiving the audio of virtually every cellphone conversation in The Bahamas.

According to documents provided by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, the surveillance is part of a top-secret system code-named SOMALGET – that was implemented without the knowledge or consent of the Bahamian government.