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UK intelligence agents moved because Russia and China can now read Snowden files
UK agents ‘moved over Snowden files’ – BBC News
UK intelligence agents have been moved because Russia and China can read files stolen by a US whistleblower, a government source has told the BBC.
The Sunday Times is reporting that Russia and China have cracked the encryption of the computer files.
The government source told the BBC the countries “have information” that led to agents being moved but added there was “no evidence” any had been harmed.
Edward Snowden, now in Russia, leaked intelligence data two years ago.
The former CIA contractor left the US in 2013 after leaking details of extensive internet and phone surveillance by American intelligence to the media.
‘Hostile countries’
The government source said the information obtained by Russia and China meant that “knowledge of how we operate” had stopped the UK getting “vital information”.
Intelligence officials have long warned of what they see as the dangers of the information leaked by Mr Snowden and its potential impact on keeping people in the UK safe – a concern Prime Minister David Cameron has said he shares.
According to the Sunday Times, Western intelligence agencies have been forced to pull agents out of “hostile countries” after “Moscow gained access to more than one million classified files” held by Mr Snowden.
“Senior government sources confirmed that China had also cracked the encrypted documents, which contain details of secret intelligence techniques and information that could allow British and American spies to be identified,” the newspaper added.
Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2015/06/uk-intelligence-agents-moved-because.html
