PARIS, (MILLAT+APP/AFP) – American and British spy
agencies have tried to intercept data from passengers’ mobile phones on commercial airlines including Air France, French media has reported, citing documents from US whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The French flag-carrier was an early target of the US National
Security Agency and its British counterpart GCHQ as it was seen as a terrorist target and it carried out tests in 2007 on allowing the use of mobile phones on its aircraft.
“The use of mobile phones with internet connections in the sky gave
rise to the creation of specific programs at the NSA and GCHQ,” said Le Monde, which has access to Snowden’s archive in partnership with news website The Intercept.
While it is not normally possible to make phone calls on planes, some
carriers allow passengers to connect to a cabin wifi, allowing them to use
internet-based functions on their handsets.
In 2012, at least 27 airlines allowed passengers to use mobile phones
on board, including British Airways, Aeroflot, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.
International News
US, UK spies targeted airline passengers’ mobiles: report
