COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Denmark’s foreign intelligence unit has shared raw data from information cables with the U.S. National Security Agency, which could have given the NSA access to Danish citizens’ personal data and private communications, according to state broadcaster DR.
The government suspended the head of the Danish Defence Intelligence Service and three other officials from their posts and put them on leave on Monday following criticism and accusations of serious wrongdoings from an independent board overseeing the unit. But it did not give many details of the case.
DR said late on Thursday, quoting sources, that the case is linked to the sharing of large quantities of information with the NSA.
The Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the DR report when contacted by Reuters.
Those temporarily suspended were the head of the service, Lars Findsen, former head and current permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Thomas Ahrenkiel, and two other unnamed officials.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told DR on Thursday that the government takes the case very seriously but declined comment until an investigation was finished.
The government has said of the case only that it would initiate an investigation following criticism was based on information from a whistleblower report.
(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Frances Kerry)
