via The Wall Street Journal...
Brazilian banker Daniel Dantas is a very wary guy. He avoids sending email, switches phones frequently and makes calls from moving cars...
It all wasn't enough to escape Federal Police Inspector Protógenes Pinheiro de Queiroz. Beginning early last year, investigators led by Inspector Queiroz began monitoring dozens of phones and email addresses belonging to Mr. Dantas, his family and associates.
Mr. Dantas still faces charges related to the arrest, but Inspector Queiroz's methods are under the spotlight, too.
The bearded, bespectacled detective was hauled before a congressional committee, and police opened an internal inquiry. The head of Brazil's intelligence agency, whose operatives took part, was suspended pending an investigation into illegal wiretapping. Now, there's a growing debate in Brazil over what some call rampant official -- and unofficial -- eavesdropping...
Mr. Dantas's side hired Kroll Inc., the U.S. risk-consulting firm, to investigate Telecom Italia, as well as political rivals and journalists; Kroll even had hidden-camera films taken of the then head of the Banco do Brasil. But Brazilian police were wiretapping Kroll personnel and broke up the operation in a 2004 raid. Kroll, whose employees now face espionage charges, denies it acted illegally.
Officials in Italy say former Telecom Italia employees operated their own spy ring, at one point breaking into Kroll's computers. Prosecutors there are seeking to indict six ex-staffers, part of a probe that has targeted more than 30 people. Telecom Italia declined to comment. (more)
