A leader resigns over warrantless illegal phone-taps

[Swagman]

Source: AFP

Veteran Luxembourg PM resigns in spy scandal

By Veronique Poujol
Published July 10, 2013
AFP

Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Europe's longest-serving leader, tenders his resignation Thursday in a scandal involving the tiny nation's secret services, alleged to have indulged in misconduct on his watch.

"I am calling a cabinet meeting at 10 am local (0800 GMT) tomorrow and I will hand in the government's resignation," Juncker told the Luxembourg parliament on Wednesday evening after a highly emotional seven-hour debate.

Juncker said he would step down after his junior coalition partner, the Socialists, introduced a motion calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/07/10/veteran-luxembourg-pm-resigns-in-spy-scandal/

[Democracyinkind]

1. To be fair: Also over systemic corruption, illegal political intel, illegal industrial espionage.

In short: Juncker has to go because the intel services have gone wild ( even before he arrived) and he failed to rein them in.

That's some checks and balances in action right there.

[Swagman]

4. oh that's OK then

[Catherina]

2. One down and many more to go n/t

[JustAnotherGen]

3. The Russian Oligarch

The report was put together by a parliamentary committee after a Luxembourg weekly last year published verbatim a secretly taped conversation in 2007 between Juncker and the then head of SREL, Marco Mille.

In the recorded conversation, Mille revealed that his staff had secretly taped a conversation with Luxembourg's Grand Duke and that the sovereign was in regular contact with Britain's MI6.

But the parliamentary inquiry set up in the furore that ensued uncovered more dirt: the existence of 13,000 secret files on people and businesses, illegal wire-taps on business leaders, a counter-terror operation that in fact was a front to help a Russian oligarch pay 10 million dollars to a Spanish spy, and even a murky private dealership in luxury cars.

"The commission of inquiry concludes that the prime minister, as head of the intelligence service, not only had no control over his service but also too often omitted to inform the parliamentary control committee or the judiciary of its irregularities, aberrations and illegalities," the report said.

I wonder who the Russian Oligarch is.

[malthaussen]

5. Who knew life was so exciting in Luxembourg? n/t

[avaistheone1]

6. k&r

[Ash_F]

7. If the Europeans can do it why can't we?

Does the Clapper still have a job in Washington?