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The Echelon espionage system is being challenged in the German courts by a
member of the European Paliament. German MEP Ilka Schroeder alleges that
“unknown persons” in the governments of the US, Britain and Germany are
violating several patent protection laws by using or tolerating the high-tech
intelligence gathering network, thought to be operated by the US National
Security Agency. Echelon is reputed to be capable of sifting all forms of
telecoms information for breaches of national security. Concerns have been
raised that it is also being used for industrial espionage.