The National Security Agency may have spied on the Papal conclave, a new report reveals.
According to the Italian magazine, Panorama, the NSA may have intercepted calls before and after the secretive papal conclave at Vatican City. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis, is also believed to have been under surveillance for several years by the agency.
“Panorama reports that the intercepted calls were put under four categories: leadership intentions, threats to financial system, foreign policy objectives, and human rights,” reports Business Insider.
The Vatican said it was unaware of the monitoring.
“We are not aware of anything on this issue, and in any case, we have no concerns about it,” said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.
While Vatican City, also called the Vatican, is the seat of the head of the Roman Catholic Church, it is also a sovereign nation.
Before the cardinals are locked up in the Sistine Chapel to vote on the next pope, the chapel is swept for bugs and the jamming devices are used to block mobile phone signals.
The NSA is currently under scrutiny for spying on the communications of world leaders and U.S. allies, allegations NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander denied during a Congressional hearing Tuesday.