Report: U.S. Bugged Merkel Since 2002

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone was reportedly targeted by U.S. intelligence agencies.

A German report says U.S. intelligence agencies may have been monitoring Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone since 2002.

The report in “Der Spiegel” magazine also says President Barack Obama told Merkel he would have stopped the eavesdropping had he known about it.

Citing a secret document from 2010, the report said the U.S. National Security Agency has operated spying centers in about 80 locations worldwide, including Berlin, Paris, Madrid, and Prague.

The new disclosures came as German intelligence officials are preparing to travel to Washington this week to discuss the activities of American spying services.

In Washington on October 26, hundreds of protesters gathered to demonstrate against U.S. electronic surveillance programs.

The vast scope of worldwide U.S. spying operations was revealed this year by former intelligence agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Based on reports from Reuters, AFP and dpa