23/10/2013 10:15
James Clapper: Reports US hacked French phones 'false'
A senior US intelligence official has stated that reports the US collected data on French citizens' telephone calls are "false," the BBC reported.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper challenged recent reports in Le Monde newspaper detailing US surveillance programmes in France.
The newspaper reported US spies had hacked foreign networks, introducing spyware into millions of computers.
The report was based on leaks from an ex-US intelligence contractor.
"Recent articles published in the French newspaper Le Monde contain inaccurate and misleading information regarding US foreign intelligence activities," Mr Clapper said in a statement released on Tuesday.
"The allegation that the National Security Agency collected more than 70 million 'recordings of French citizens' telephone data' is false."
Mr Clapper said he would not discuss details of surveillance activities, but he did acknowledge "the United States gathers intelligence of the type gathered by all nations."