BERLIN: Germany’s foreign intelligence service BND long spied on journalists of the BBC, The New York Times, Reuters and other media, news weekly Der Spiegel reported Friday (Saturday in Manila). However, Der Spiegel's report provoked an angry reaction from the Reporters without Borders activist group that called the actions of the BND a "disastrous violation of the freedom of the press" and a "new dimension of constitutional violations. The spy agency reportedly spied on nearly 50 phone and fax numbers, as well as email addresses of journalists and editors around the world since 1999, according to documents related to the German parliament's commission investigation into Germany's role in the NSA's surveillance. According to the documents, the BND's list of surveillance targets reportedly included over a dozen connections of the BBC in Afghanistan, as well as the BBC headquarters in London and the editors of the BBC World Service. The BND has spied upon more than 50 phone and fax numbers as well as e-mail addresses of journalists and editorial offices of various news media outlets around the world since 1999, Der Spiegel says , citing the documents of the German parliament's commission investigating the US surveillance in Germany and the US cooperation with local intelligence.According to the papers reportedly seen by Der Spiegel, the list of surveillance targets included particularly more than a dozen contacts of BBC journalists in Afghanistan as well as the BBC central office in London and the office of the BBC World Service.The list also featured the mobile phone numbers of Reuters journalists and offices in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria as well as a contact of the New York Times office in Afghanistan, Der Spiegel reports.Meanwhile, the BND refused to comment on the issue. ""We are disappointed to hear these claims," a BBC spokesperson said, adding that the "BBC's mission is to bring accurate news and information to people around the world, and our journalists should be able to operate freely and safely, with full protection for their sources. “We call upon all governments to respect the operation of a free press.”

Reuters and The New York Times did not immediately reply to requests for comment from Agence France-Presse.
A report alleges that the German BND has been spying on journalists in Afghanistan.