In a report published on MondayExternal link, the service described how – in special cases requiring permission – it had taken advantage of the option to monitor mobile phones, hack computers and use tracking devices or bugs to watch certain people and places.
In the first four months, the service employed such methods 40 times as part of four operations. Two were related to terrorism, and the other two had to do with illegal surveillance.
The monitoring measures must be approved by the Federal Administrative CourtExternal link and Defence Minister Guy Parmelin, who has to discuss them in advance with Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga and Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis.
The law also provides access to internet communication data, but the technology is still being developed. As Parmelin said in the report’s forward, these forms of surveillance will only be used when there is a serious security threat.
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Swiss intelligence says 100 people pose ‘high risk’ to security
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The number of “people at risk”, representing a high security threat, has risen by 10 to 100 since the last figures were presented by the FIS in May. Those identified as posing a high security risk to Switzerland include not just potential jihadists but also those who support or encourage terrorism and any kind of…
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Swiss committee wants to end government resignations during legislative term
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Members of the Federal Council should no longer be able to leave office before the end of their term, according to a House of Representatives committee.
Swiss government seat: Ritter and Pfister nominated to succeed Amherd
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Markus Ritter from St Gallen and Martin Pfister from Zug were officially nominated by the Centre Party on Friday to succeed Defence Minister Viola Amherd.
Top Swiss court rejects Russian request for administrative tax assistance
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There is currently no reason to transmit banking information to the Russian Federation, the Swiss Federal Court has ruled.
After strike by radiologists, doctors demonstrate in Bern
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Following a strike by radiology technicians in Fribourg, doctors, vets, dentists and chiropractors expressed their frustration on Friday outside parliament in the Swiss capital.
Eurovision and bleak world situation are top themes at Basel carnival
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The Eurovision Song Contest and the gloomy global situation are among the main themes of Basel Fasnacht (carnival) this year.
Prices of Swiss investment properties continue to rise despite stagnating rents
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Although rents in Switzerland stagnated or fell in the final quarter of last year, prices for investment properties continued to rise. Both apartment buildings and office properties have become more expensive.
Probe into wrong Swiss pension figures clears federal office
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Employees of the Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) did not breach their duty of care when calculating pension prospects, an investigation has concluded.
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Hotels in the southern Swiss canton of Ticino welcomed significantly more guests last December than in the same month of the previous year.
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Swiss intelligence services ignored spying laws
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A parliamentary oversight body says the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) ignored regulations and badly managed a Swiss man they employed to spy on German tax authorities.
Switzerland is a favourite hub for foreign spies, reports paper
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Switzerland is reportedly a favoured meeting place for foreign secret service agents, but Swiss intelligence is keen to clamp down on the encounters.
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Presenting the cabinet’s proposed legislation on intelligence services, Defence Minister Ueli Maurer stressed on Wednesday that any such intervention would require approval from cabinet members and judges on a case-by-case basis. He said the procedure would only be implemented in about ten cases a year and checks by parliamentary and administrative bodies would be increased.…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.