Greek Lawmaker Panel Questions PM Aide, Executives On Wiretaps"

ATHENS (AP)--A Greek parliament committee questioned a top government aide and executives from telecom giants Vodafone and Ericsson, Thursday about a major wiretapping scandal that targeted Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis.

Yiannis Angelou, the premier's chief of staff, told the committee he had been informed by Vodafone about the illegal wiretaps March 10.

The illegal cell phone surveillance included senior state security officials from just before the August 2004 Olympic Games until March 2005.

The list also included senior military officers, human rights activists, journalists, Arab businessmen and a mobile phone used by the U.S. Embassy, according to a list of numbers given to parliament by Vodafone.

The cell phone operator is at odds with technology and software supplier Ericsson.

The Swedish-based firm maintains that software it installed in the network to allow legally sanctioned surveillance was exploited by a rogue program to tap government phones.

Vodafone said it was unaware the surveillance software had been installed on its network.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 6th April 2006