Obama aware of spying on Merkel: German paper

BERLIN - US President Barack Obama was aware of the alleged monitoring of mobile phone communications of Chancellor Angela Merkel, German newspaper Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday.

The paper quoted US intelligence sources as saying that US National Security Agency (NSA) chief Keith Alexander briefed Obama on the operation against Merkel in 2010 but the president did not halt the operation. Bild also said the NSA targeted not only Merkel's business mobile phone but also her official telephone device.

The German government has voiced its anger at possible US intelligence's spying on the mobile phone communications of Merkel, saying it would be "a serious breach of trust" if confirmed.

High-ranking representatives of German security services as well as chancellery will travel to Washington next week to seek clarifications of widespread US spying allegations, including the alleged monitoring of mobile phone communications of Merkel, government spokesman Georg Streiter said on Friday.

The German representatives are due to hold talks with White House officials as well as representatives of the NSA, the spokesman told reporters on Friday.

According to German media reports, the European Union will also send representatives to the United States to talk about the alleged US surveillance activities in Europe.