French probe US 'commercial' spy system'

France has ordered its counter-intelligence service to investigate the operation of an American satellite surveillance network which can intercept millions of telephone, fax and e-mail messages every day.

The French say they're concerned that the system, known as Echelon, is being increasingly used to pass on information to American companies in order to give them a commerical advantage over their European rivals. It is used principally by the United States, but Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand also have access to it.. A report to the European parliament last October said Echelon played a part in helping the American Boeing company block attempts by the European Airbus consortium to break into the Saudi Arabian market.

The United States has denied the allegations, adding that most of the major powers engage in industrial espionage, including France.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service