The NSA and CIA, two of the USA’s spy agencies, have a cell operating in Portugal.
The information was provided by a Dutch newspaper which cites a document published by whistle-blower Edward Snowden.
This information exposed contained 79 other similar offices in other parts of the world. In Europe there are 19 such units operating as a cooperative venture between the NSA and CIA, called the Special Collection Service (SCS), including one in Portugal.
The U.S. embassy in Lisbon did not deny or confirm that there is a SCS unit operating in Portugal.
A U.S. embassy spokesperson, Virginia Staab, explained the importance of maintaining limits on freedom of information gathering, "we want to ensure that we are collecting information because we need it, not just because we can."
Staab explained some of the concerns about what she referred to as the eavesdropping programme, "the allegations of the surveillance activities of the NSA have created significant challenges in our relationship with some of our foreign partners. As our President Barack Obama has said, the United States is reviewing the way it gathers information, to ensure a proper balance between the security concerns of our citizens and allies, and of the privacy concerns that all people share."
