Germany opens inquiry into claims NSA tapped Angela Merkel's phone

Germany's federal prosecutor has opened an investigation over alleged snooping by the US National Security Agency (NSA) on Chancellor Angela Merkel's mobile phone.

"I informed parliament's legal affairs committee that I have started a preliminary investigation over tapping of a mobile phone of the chancellor," Harald Range said. The long-anticipated inquiry, which follows allegations in 2013 that US spies had eavesdropped on the German chancellor's mobile in the past, is against unnamed persons, Range said. However, he said he had decided against opening an investigation into claims of wider NSA surveillance against German citizens.

The move may again strain Berlin's ties with Washington, which both countries' leaders have been at pains to restore following the reports of sweeping NSA spying on Internet and phone communications overseas, described by Chancellor Merkel as "grave".