Germany’s Chief Prosecutor To Start Probe Into Wikileaks-Exposed Frankfurt Cyber-Spy Hub

The Germans are once again angry at the Americans over spying. Just a few years after Obama’s infamous apology for hacking Merkel’s phone, Germany’s chief federal prosecutor announced plans to carefully examine documents from Wikileaks (related to a secret CIA cyber-spy hub in Frankfurt), and will launch an investigation if it sees concrete indications of wrongdoing.

As VOA News reports, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said Berlin was in close touch with Washington about the documents, which Wikileaks said showed that the CIA used the U.S. consulate in Frankfurt as a major remote hacking base.

“We will initiate an investigation if we see evidence of concrete criminal acts or specific perpetrators,” a spokesman for the federal prosecutor’s office told Reuters.

“We’re looking at it very carefully.”

He said Germany needed to verify the authenticity of the documents, which, as DW.com reports, purportedly revealed that a top secret CIA unit used the German city of Frankfurt am Main as the starting point for numerous hacking attacks on Europe, China and the Middle East.

WikiLeaks reported that the group developed trojans and other malicious software in the American Consulate General Office, the largest US consulate in the world. The programs focused on targets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The documents revealed that CIA experts worked in the building under cover and included advice for life in Germany.

“Do not leave anything electronic or sensitive unattended in your room,” it told employees, also advising them to enjoy Lufthansa’s free alcohol “in moderation.”

The Frankfurt hackers, part of the Center for Cyber Intelligence Europe, were said to be given diplomatic passports and a State Department identity. It instructed employees how to safely enter Germany. A WikiLeaks tweet published an section of the Frankfurt information.

CIA tips for its hackers going to the covert CIA hacking base hidden in the US consulate in Frankfurt #Vault7 https://t.co/OoGhXa0rAJ pic.twitter.com/iyuZhVEXms

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 7, 2017

The consulate was the focus of a German investigation into US intelligence capabilities following the 2013 revelation that NSA agents had tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone.

German daily “Süddeutsche Zeitung” reported the building was known to be home to a vast network of intelligence personnel including CIA agents, NSA spies, military secret service personnel, Department of Homeland Security employees and Secret Service employees. It reported the Americans had also established a dense network of outposts and shell companies in Frankfurt.

Of course, with Obama long gone, President Trump will have to face the music on this one… because we are sure President Obama never authorized any wiretaps from Germany either.

Wikileaks has started a poll to decide whether it will release more evidence to the Germans…

Germany’s chief prosecutor has started an examination of CIA hacking. Should WikiLeaks provide evidence? #Vault7

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) March 8, 2017