A MEMBER OF the European Parliament from Berlin has filed criminal complaints in Germany against the U.S.-backed Echelon electronic espionage system, for violation of citizens' privacy rights.

Ilka Schröder, 22, of the Green Party, cited "unknown suspects especially from the U.S. and Great Britain, as well as possibly the German Federal Government, for operating and tolerating" Echelon.

According to a statement, Schröder filed the complaints Monday with the German Federal chief public prosecutor, as well as public prosecutors' offices in Berlin and in Traunstein. The latter office has jurisdiction for the Bavarian town of Bad Aibling, where a monitoring station is widely reputed to be operated by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA).

Schröder, who serves as a substitute member of the European Parliament committee which is investigating Echelon, referred to a report commissioned by the committee, which declared that Echelon is monitoring private and business telephone calls, faxes, and e-mail messages in Europe, including in Germany

Schröder could not be immediately reached for comment.

Rick Perera is a Berlin correspondent with the IDG News Service, an InfoWorld affiliate.