Chinese telecoms giant Huawei was under secret US surveillance, US fraud hearing told
- US authorities plan to use covertly gathered information in case charging the company with violating Iran sanctions
- The US government obtained the information via ‘electronic surveillance and physical search’, but gave no details
US prosecutors used a special warrant to secretly gather information about Huawei Technologies Co Limited for evidence of fraud and espionage charges against China’s largest telecoms equipment maker, a US court was told on Thursday.
Assistant US Attorney Alex Solomon said at the hearing in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, that the evidence, obtained under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), would require classified handling.
The government notified Huawei in a court filing on Thursday of its intent to use the information, saying it was “obtained or derived from electronic surveillance and physical search”, but gave no details.
When the hearing resumes on June 19, Federal District Judge Ann Donnelly will decide how the case is to proceed, based on the gathered evidence.
The US government has been pressuring other countries to drop Huawei from their cellular networks, worried that its equipment could be used by Beijing for spying. The company says the concerns are unfounded.