Airstrip One

Who would be so clumsy? - 19th March 2003, 23.35

The discovery of wiretaps on certain telephones at the EU has all the makings of a 'spy scandal'. They were discovered on the 28th February 2003 but were only publicised today. ABC falls into the trap headfirst and starts blathering about Echelon. Does that mean the British tap was a diversion?

According to the French daily Le Figaro, Belgian police have identified "Americans" as those responsible, but Belgian police declined any comment.

The French response: We know who to blame but we couldn't possibly name names ourselves so we will let the Belgians do it for us. But after they learn the Brits were targetted too, the net widens..

"I deny that we have identified whoever was responsible, whether it was the Americans, the Russians, the Chinese or whoever," said a council official. "We are still investigating but it seems it was pretty professional," he said.

Here's a hint: they are probably European or from the Middle East and are now trying to decipher the intricate negotiations on reinsurance regulation.