Singapore helps US spy on Malaysia says Snowden document

More secret documents leaked by intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden reveal Singapore to be a key third party providing the “5-eyes” group access to Malaysia’s communications channel. (AP Photo)

Kuala Lumpur — Singapore helps the US spy on Malaysia, according to more secret documents leaked by intelligence whistleblower Edward Snowden.

It has been revealed that Singapore is a key partner of the “5-Eyes” intelligence group known to have tapped telephones and monitored communications networks in Kuala Lumpur.

Quoting the Dutch daily NRC Handelsblad, Australian’s Fairfax Media reported that Singapore is a key “third party” providing the 5-Eyes ring – composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – access to Malaysia’s communications channel.

Singapore was included on a map published by NRC which showed US interception facilities on the US West coast, Hawaii and Guam that tap all cable traffic across the Pacific Ocean, and links between Australia and Japan, said reports.

According to Faifax, Malaysia and Indonesia have been targets for both Singaporean and Australian intelligence since the 1970s, since most of its telecommunications and Internet traffic goes through Singapore.

Snowden leaked documents last month that revealed the US runs a monitoring station in its embassy in Kuala Lumpur to tap telephones and monitor communications networks.

Fairfax sighted a map published by the German magazine Der Spiegel which showed 90 electronic surveillance facilities worldwide, which included US embassies in Bangkok, Jakarta, Phnom Penh, and Yangon.

That map, however, did not show any such facilities in the US’ closest allies – Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Britain, or Japan.

Singapore helps US spy on Malaysia says Snowden document