Aviation giant to sue US, Germany for spying

Following reports which emerged of a joint spying row into some European businesses by the United States and Germany via German spy agency, BND, aviation giant, Airbus is set to file a criminal complaint.

BBC reports that an Airbus statement quoted by AFP news agency said it was "alarmed" by the reports but did not want to speculate, adding that it had asked for more information from the German government.

A statement from the company read:

"We are aware that large companies in the sector, like ours, are targets of espionage, however, in this case we are alarmed because there is concrete suspicion."

Leaks from a secret BND document suggest that its monitoring station at Bad Aibling checked whether European companies were breaking trade embargos after a request from the NSA. It also alleged that that it spied on France's presidential palace and foreign ministry.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has however denied claims of a cover-up, saying he had no knowledge of malpractice at German intelligence, but called for the internal BND report to be presented to a parliamentary committee.