UK Refused To Cooperate With Belgium In Case Of GCHQ's Surveillance On Belgacom - Reports

The United Kingdom refused to cooperate with the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office in the case about the alleged interception of communications of Belgium's largest telecommunications company Proximus Group, formerly known as Belgacom Group, by the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in 2013, local media reported on Thursday.

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th October, 2018) The United Kingdom refused to cooperate with the Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office in the case about the alleged interception of communications of Belgium's largest telecommunications company Proximus Group, formerly known as Belgacom Group, by the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in 2013, local media reported on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, Belgium's National Security Council discussed a confidential report of the Belgian federal prosecutor general, which concluded that the GCHQ cracked the Belgacom system in 2013.

According to Belgium's De Standaard newspaper, the incident is not typical for relations between two EU member states and might result in a diplomatic raw.

"[The Belgian prosecutor's office regards the UK refusal as] exceptional between EU states, and something that could lead to a diplomatic incident," the prosecutor's office said as quoted by the Guardian newspaper, citing De Standaard.

According to the UK newspaper, London explained its unwillingness to cooperate by alleged threats to the country's sovereignty and security.

"The United Kingdom believes that this could jeopardise our sovereignty, security and public order," the UK Home Office said, commenting on the refusal, as quoted by The Guardian.

In September 2013, a document released by former US National Security Agency (NSA) officer, whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed that the GCHQ orchestrated a cyberattack against Belgacom's computer network in an operation dubbed Socialist in August of the same year. According to the leaked documents, the cyberattack enabled the GCHQ to gain access to the telecommunication company's customers personal data.

According to experts, the interception of Belgacom clients' communications might have been carried out by the Network Analysis Centre, a GCHQ division, and authorized at the senior governmental level. Balgacom's clients, in particular, included the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament.