Subject: On the possible leak of a European intelligence report to The New York Times
The New York Times published an article, detailing trips, meetings and private conversations of a senior aide (head of cabinet) and of the lawyer of MEP Carles Puigdemont.
The piece tries to defame the Catalan independence movement by linking it to an alleged Russian plot to destabilize the EU.
To piece together the presumed contacts between Russia and Mr Puigdemont’s senior aide and lawyer, the NYT “has drawn on the 10-page European intelligence report, the substance of which was confirmed by two Spanish officials”.
The only European intelligence agency operating under the EU framework is the EU INTCEN. This body provides intelligence analyses to the HR/VP, Mr Borrell, based on operative intelligence provided by Member States’ agencies.
1) ls the EU INTCEN the author of the European intelligence report the NYT is quoting, or any other agency depending of the EU institutions?
2) lf so, who has instructed the EU INTCEN to write the report and was HR/VP aware of it before the New York Times article?
3) Ifthis was a confidential intelligence report how did the journalists have access to it?