SpyTalk

Chinese intelligence has ordered hotel chains to wiretap the internet communications of foreign visitors in Beijing during the Olympics Games, a U.S. Senator charged today.

At a news conference in the Capitol, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan, produced orders to the hotels chains, allegedly originating with the Chinese Public Security Bureau, or PSB.

"The Chinese government has put in place a system to spy on and gather information about every guest at hotels where Olympic visitors are staying," Brownback told reporters.

"This means journalists, athletes' families, human rights advocates and other visitors will be subjected to invasive intelligence gathering by the Chinese Public Security Bureau."

Brownback said the hotel chains had provided him with additional documentation since he first heard about the eavesdropping demand "several months ago."

"Over the past few months, we've had the chance to gather more information directly from the source, the sources," Brownback told reporters. "As it stands now, separate international hotel chains have confirmed the existence of this order. More significantly, we received separate copies of the text of this order translated."

Aides handed out translations of the purported PSB documents.

Brownback called on China to reverse its plans and said he would introduce a resolution condemning them.

We reported here over the weekend that China was preparing a well-organized espionage campaign against foreign visitors.