Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig ruled last week that the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) may continue to access data at the world’s largest Internet node in Frankfurt am Main without just cause. In the ruling, the court dismissed an action brought against this practice by the operating company and the government demanded they turn over all communications. The court ruled that the Federal Ministry of the Interior can compel any company to take part in measures of “strategic” surveillance. Since any such measure is always classified as secret, they need not explain anything to anyone.
Governments around the globe have used terrorism as the new excuse to listen to what anyone does. There have been countless prosecutions and investigations for avoiding taxes arising from such powers far more than terrorism. The prosecution ration in over 1000:1 between taxes v terrorism. It seems as though governments want more terrorism so they can increase their powers to hunt for taxes.