Eric Holder To Discuss NSA Spying Scandal In Germany

AP

German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere told journalists in Washington that Holder has accepted an invitation from Berlin to explain how the US would curb spying on foreign nationals overseas.

"We will have this discussion together in Germany," he said.

The US Justice Department did not immediately confirm the trip and de Maiziere said that Holder's visit would not take place "before the summer recess."

In a speech in January, US President Barack Obama said he had taken "the unprecedented step of extending certain protections that we have for the American people to people overseas."

Obama directed the intelligence community and Holder to develop "safeguards" for the privacy of foreign citizens.

After meeting Holder on Wednesday, de Maiziere said details are still scarce, stressing that "no decision" has been made in Washington on what restrictions would apply to spying overseas.

But he welcomed plans to end the NSA practice of scooping up metadata from US telecoms companies, which will also apply to foreign citizens if their communications is routed through the US.

"It's going to be a long path, but I see some progress," he said.

Germans were outraged the revelations last year by rogue intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, of the vast surveillance programs run by the National Security Agency (NSA).

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Eric Holder To Discuss NSA Spying Scandal In Germany