Brazil

Spy chiefs suspended over phone taps

Article published on the 2008-09-02 Latest update 2008-09-02 10:57 TU

Lula da Silva
(Photo: AFP )

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva temporarily suspended the entire leadership of the country's spy agency on Monday after it was accused of illegal phone taps. The agency allegedly spied on the chief of the Supreme Court and members of the government. Opposition leaders have demanded that Congress launch an investigation into the latest revelations.

A parliamentary enquiry was already under way into phone taps on Congress members by the Brazilian spy Agency, Abin. Now the country's top news magazine, Veja, reports that Abin spied on Supreme Court President Gilmar Mendes.  

According to the weekly, Abin also tapped the phones of Lula's cabinet chief Gilberto Carvalho, the Minister of the Presidency Dilma Rousseff and the Minister of Institutional Relations José Mucio Monteiro.

It published what it said was a transcript of a telephone conversation between Mendes and opposition Senator Demostenes Torres.

President Lula held talks with Mendes for a couple of hours on Monday. He also met with Torres and other senators. Lula's spokesperson said the president expressed surprise and indignation at the possibility that Mendes' phone might have been tapped.

Abin said it was investigating the allegations but had confidence in its staff.