Jörgen Larsson conducted business with Russia in the 1990s. He was under surveillance by the FRA during this time and until last week was completely unaware of the fact. Jörgen Larsson had never been suspected of any criminal offence – a legal requirement for invoking a bugging operation.
“It feels terribly insulting. People say that we live in this super-democracy, although we are treated as if we live in a dictatorship,” Jörgen Larsson said to local newspaper Norrbottens-Kuriren.
Jörgen Larsson’s name appeared on a list that circulated in the media last week of 103 people that had been under surveillance by FRA during the 1990s.
“At the end of last week an acquaintance of mine told me that I was on the list, despite the fact that there had never been any suspicion that I committed a crime,” Larsson told Norbottens-Kuriren.
Larsson has now reported the FRA to the Chancellor of Justice.
“I want them to investigate what has been going on, why I and so many others have been illegally bugged, and I also want to hear the attorney-general’s position on illegal bugging,” said Jörgen Larsson.
The list of 103 names emerged after is was submitted in connection with a report by a FRA employee to the Swedish Data Inspection Board (Datainspektionen).
Sveriges Television’s (SVT) news program Rapport made the list public, and the attorney-general opened an investigation into whether the FRA employee had acted in breach of the code of professional secrecy.
The revelation of the list and the surveillance of the 103 people, led to accusations that FRA had breached existing post and telecommunications legislation.
The vice-chief prosecutor, Agneta Hilding opted not to open a preliminary investigation in the case.
FRA’s operations are guarded with extreme secrecy. However, the agency has come under fire since the government passed a new controversial law allowing the agency to monitor cable-borne telecommunications and internet traffic which crosses Sweden’s borders.
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